The Legend of the Three Souls
by Alena S. Anigor
Summary: He was once taught that history repeated itself, and now the time has come-the three souls have arisen again. Soon, Yuugi Mutou, Seto Kaiba and Bakura will find out about the missing pieces of their puzzles. An AU fic. Reviews are welcome. COMPLETED
1. Prologue

_AN:_

_Hey everyone!_

_First, I've got to say that I was really happy to receive so many good reviews for my first fic. Thank you. *bows*_

_Right, this is an AU fic, and I feel kind of obligated to explain some terms and things here:_

_-There are no Millennium Items in this fic, like it was stated in the summary, but there **is** something else...what that is, you'll find out soon enough. ^_^_

_-Now, as for the characters, (since this is an AU fic), their roles will be slightly different. I decided to let out the yamis this time, so the character will be either his _normal_ self, or it will be just yami. You'll see what I mean when you'll read the next paragraphs:_

_~Solomon Mutou~ a retired archeologist, the grandfather of Yuugi Mutou_

_~Yuugi Mutou~ a young man with interest in archeology, admires his grandfather_

_~Tea Gardner~ a young woman, a childhood friend of Yuugi's, also interested in archeology and ancient Egypt mythology_

_~Mai Valentine~ a young journalist, a friend of Yuugi and Tea's, on her first assignment _

_~Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor~ tour guides across Egypt (I know their names don't sound very Egyptian like, but I didn't want to cause more confusion with coming up with different names for them)_

_~Serenity Wheeler~ Joey's sister, lives with him alone_

_~Bakura (as in Yami Bakura only)~ a tomb robber, thief_

_~Seto Kaiba~ a powerful businessman, with a secret interest for ancient Egyptian mythology_

_~Mokuba Kaiba~ Seto's brother, lives with him in his mansion, idolizes his brother_

_~Marik Ishtar~ a thief, Bakura's "brother" in his gang of thieves_

_~Ishizu Ishtar~ Marik's sister, the leader of the Museum of ancient artifacts, despises her brother for becoming a thief_

_These are the basic characters we all know, the bad guy of the fic is my own OC, and he's called Amukh. There will also be one of the characters from the original Yu-Gi-Oh cast, but I will let him be a mystery for now... ^_^_

_I hope you'll like this prologue, and I hope you'll drop your comments and reviews about this story._

_So much for my ramblings..._

_...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ ...~ _

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of its characters and plot. 

**The legend of the three souls**

-by Alena S. Anigor

**Prologue**

The sun was set highly on the sky, burning the already heated sand of the ancient country, blurring the vision and the air with its heat. There was no wind, making the air thick and dry, almost unbearable. The sand glistened, tiny specks of minerals reflecting the burning orb on the sky, and making a dark haired girl sigh under the hood of her white robe.

Ishizu Ishtar stopped with her observations, holding a funny looking stone in her hand, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She rested her hands a bit, putting them on her waist, looking around the big hole in the ground, and watching her coworkers dig under the heated sun. She raised her head a bit, shadowing her eyes with her hand, and stared at the sky. It was perfect blue, the exact color of her eyes, and she sighed, deciding that the work was still not done, and that there was a lot to do. She put the stone on the small metallic plate, standing on the shaky table beside her, and took the cramp in her hands again.

Although it was a manly job, to do the diggings and drag the ancient findings away from their hideouts, she enjoyed every piece of it; after all, she _was_ the main responsible person for the diggings, working as the leader of the Museum of ancient artifacts.

Just when she was about to swing with the cramp to break another layer of sand, there was a sudden commotion between the men on the other side of the pit, and she stopped in mid – swing, turning her attention to the opposite side of the digging pit. She let the cramp fall down with a thud, and it sank slightly in the sand.

"Ishizu, I found it! It's here!" One of her men exclaimed excitedly, and her eyes brightened in relief, after the two –days long diggings finally came to an end; they found what they were looking for, they found what she presumed would lay under the deep sand of the mysterious desert.

She hurried to the opposite side, almost skipping trough the soft sand, and her eyes glistened when she saw what the man was holding in both of his hands, proudly eying the revealed bust of a man, with a crown on his head, a giant bug imprinted in the crown, and Ishizu let out a gasp.

She was right; it really did exist and they really found it! Unfortunately, they only managed to find one of the ancient artifacts, and her eyes clouded with slight tiredness that this was only the first one, but at least they found it, non – the less, and she marveled in its sight for a while, until the man handed it to her, and she took it, carefully embracing the bust like it was made of porcelain.

She eyed the stoned face of a man, and her eyes traveled across the giant bug in the crown.

"The scarab", she whispered, "the sacred animal of Osiris."

The men in front of her eyed one another, grinning at her, happy to see their boss happy, and one of them suggested a celebration for the new success later.

They eyed her carefully, wanting to hear her allowance, and when she nodded, grinning herself, they cheered happily, swinging the cramps in the air, and thanked her.

They were gone in a couple of minutes, and she was left standing there, in the middle of the pit, still looking proudly at the little statue in her hands.

She smiled, hardly waiting to present the bust to the other skeptics who only looked at her with derision, mocking her that she'd never find anything if she would chase after mere illusions and legends.

But she didn't give up, and the result was there, neatly positioned in her hands, and she smirked satisfyingly, wanting nothing more than to show those old and primitive idiots what she was capable of.

When she thought of it, maybe she should threw a convention, inviting all respective people who had anything to do with ancient Egypt and archeology. 

The first person that came to her mind was Solomon Mutou, a well - known archeologist, who was enjoying a great respect among his fellow colleagues. 

'Yes', she thought, smiling victoriously, 'I will definitely invite him.'

Holding the bust in her hands, she stretched her hands forward, observing the bust with such admiration and love in her eyes, that she almost kissed the face of the man, but she dismissed that thought, deciding to clean it and brush it first.

"Aw, how long till we get there? I hate flying with the airplanes..." Mai Valentine muttered, sitting next to her friend, and Tea Gardner giggled a bit, the thought of Mai holding the bag in front of her face crossing her mind. 

The blond journalist frowned, obviously not feeling so good, and she redirected her eyes to look trough the window, and seeing nothing but clouds, groaned in frustration. The plane shifted a bit, and Mai grabbed Tea's shoulder tightly, making the older girl yelp.

"Mai!" She exclaimed, looking at her startled.

"Is everything all right, Mai?" The voice on the seat in front of them was heard, and the head of the young man peeped trough the loop between the seats.

"Yeah, Yuugi, I'm fine, but Mai is..." She stopped, casting a glance at the girl next to her.

"Not so fine", the blond girl finished for her, and Yuugi sweatdropped, turning to his grandfather beside him, who was snoring softly in his nap. The stewardess announced the arrival in one hour, and one loud 'Thank God!' was heard trough the plane. Tea covered her face in embarrassment, wishing she was sitting somewhere else.

Solomon Mutou mumbled something in his sleep, and Yuugi shook him gently, trying to wake him up. His grandfather mumbled something again, which wasn't quite understandable to the young man next to him, but he only shrugged, deciding to wake him up later.

It was getting dark outside, and the lights in the airplane turned on, illuminating the interior of the plane with a soft light. Mai was in a search of a plastic bag, while Tea was tumbling trough her backpack, trying to find a book she was reading before. She managed to find the book in a mess of other things, and she placed the backpack down, opening the book and starting to read where she stopped the last time.

Mai turned her head to look at her friend, and tried to read the title.

"Anci...ent...Egyptian...what is that last thing?" She was muttering, leaning slightly to see better. Tea rolled her eyes and turned the book for her to see.

"Mythology, Mai, mythology." She replied, and the blond journalist nodded with a 'ohh' and then leaned back, holding the plastic bag in her hands, and praying every god that ever existed to grant her the wish not to throw up...this time.

Yuugi smiled softly, hearing the conversation behind him, and then leaned into his seat, deciding to spend the remaining time to take a rest. He hoped he wouldn't fall asleep like his grandfather, but he relied on Tea and Mai to wake up them both if that was about to happen by any chance.

Closing his eyes, he relaxed, images of the ancient hieroglyphs and ancient culture flowing trough his mind, and he couldn't wait to set a foot on the golden sand, and finally see the land that he's been drawn to so much.

The night fell, making the golden sand dark and mysterious, almost ominous to the eyes of the person, kneeling on the top of the mountain of sand. The night was clear and chilly, a full contrast to the heated day. The person was eyeing the light, coming from the people below him, but he was too far away to see anything too closely. What he had seen, and what had made his mind clouded with worry and dread, was the cloaked figure, standing a tad bit away from the crowd of people, equally shadowed with cloaks. 

The person, kneeling and hiding from their view, was secretly hoping it wouldn't come to this, but he was once taught that history was repeating itself, and that the day would come again.

He gritted his teeth slightly, watching the tall and mighty looking figure stand high in superiority, giving orders to everyone else around him, as they were digging trough the sand, obviously in a desperate search of something.

One of the cloaked figures knelt in front of him, and the tall figure's face was not able to see, but he nodded slightly, and the person who was kneeling in front of him nodded as well, and bowing once, stood up, and went behind him, grabbing the strands of rope that were firmly enveloped around a camel. He climbed on the camel, and the animal twitched its ears a bit, before it obeyed, and the person was gone behind the other mountain of sand.

The shadowed person was observing the cloaked one, and it suddenly raised its cloaked head in its direction, but there was nothing there.

The person, who was watching the scene in front of him, and now was currently hidden behind the large amount of sand, sighed in relief, almost being caught in the act.

But then, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he dropped his own hood over his head. Crawling a bit away from his spot, he stood up, once again observing the soft light, coming from the pit.

"I guess the time has come again", he whispered and disappeared into the cold night. 


	2. The sun and the sand

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of its characters. They belong to their respective owners.

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter I – The sun and the sand**

-by Alena S. Anigor

Mai stretched lazily, spreading her arms in the air and hearing the cracking sound coming from them. She grimaced slightly; wondering how was she still mobile in the first place. She looked at the girl next to her, who was fidgeting with her backpack, trying to stuff the book back inside, but somehow failing to find the appropriate place.

The stewardess announced the arrival, and the rest of the passengers were also making a commotion in the plane, stuffing their bags and purses with their personal belongings. Tea managed to squeeze the book between the plastic bottle of mineral water and her sandwich leftovers from the early in the morning. She didn't want to travel with an empty stomach, compared to Mai, who only drank a cup of coffee, and there was no wonder she felt so sick during the whole flight.

"Aaahhh...", Mai yawned, totally oblivious to the fact that she should've covered her mouth, "Finally! One more hour of sitting in this seat, and I swear, I'd hijack this plane, demanding from the damn pilots to fly faster." She commented, making the bypassing stewardess stare at her suspiciously. 

Tea only smiled, closing her backpack, and getting up, she leaned over Yuugi's seat to see what he was doing. She almost giggled, seeing the both Mutous sleeping soundly. Solomon was snoring softly, mouth open and totally oblivious to the fact that he could be heard a few seats in front of him.

Tea shook her childhood friend gently, making him stir slightly, and he opened his eyes, violet orbs staring at the ceiling first and then at the cerulean - eyed girl behind him. He cleared his eyes with his fingers, yawning a bit, and then leaning to the left to wake his grandfather.

Solomon mumbled something and turned to the other side, making Tea giggle and younger Mutou sigh in irritation. His grandfather was definitely in a deep slumber, and he even considered the thought to yell in his ear to wake him up, but he decided to shake him a few times instead. Mai didn't miss the opportunity to take out her camera from the depths of her closed jacket, and positioning herself over the sleeping grandpa, she took the right angle and the camera made a clicking sound, a slight flashing light evident for a second. Yuugi just shook his head, and Mai grinned.

"I could actually sell this very well", she said with amusement in her voice, eyeing the old man grinningly, "I can already see the title – the world's famous archeologist caught drooling in his sleep." She added, directing her eyes upwards, and Tea raised her backpack, positioning it on her shoulder, and shaking her head.

"You're horrible", she uttered, and Mai only smirked.

"It's all in the description of my job, honey", she coaxed, and putting the camera back inside her jacket, took her small backpack, putting it on her back.

Yuugi was busy with trying to wake up his grandpa, until he has had enough and leaning closely to his ear, he took a deep breath, having no choice but to use the other method.

"Wake up!" He shouted, making Solomon jump from his seat, eyes wide in shock.

"What happened? Where am I?" He asked, frantically scanning the surroundings, until his eyes met the ones of his grandson, and two girls staring at him from above the seat.

"Well, glad you could make it back", Mai grinned, and Tea was laughing softly. Yuugi was looking at his grandfather, looking disapprovingly at his behavior. Solomon only shrugged, and placing his sweetest smile, he stood up, watching the passengers walking out of the plane.

"Oh, we better hurry, I don't want to be late!" He said in a rushed manner, and grabbing his bag from below, he scurried past Yuugi, getting lost in the crowd. The three of them stood there, looking blankly at the old grandpa, shoving his way trough the crowd of people, yelling something about getting late.

Yuugi shook his head again. "And he was snoring just a minute ago."

Mai and Tea looked at each other, and only shrugged.

Walking carefully down the metallic steps, Tea breathed the air of Egypt, and sensed the difference immediately. The air was dry, carrying the dusty fragrance in it, and she looked around the airport, seeing nothing but mountains of sand in the distance. The sun was practically burning, making her temperature rise in the long sleeved shirt she was wearing. Mai let out a whistling sound, eyeing the airport in surprise, deciding to take off her jacket and place it around her waist.

Yuugi went ahead, afraid of loosing his grandfather in the crowd of people. Tea rushed after him, absolutely delighted with the first impression of the ancient country. Mai pulled the two strings of thin rope from her camera, taking the first photo of the airport, and then placing the camera around her neck, letting it hang there.

She hurried after Tea, who called after her, already far ahead. She skipped the last few steps, and securing her backpack once again, went after her friends.

Solomon, as old and weak as he seemed, was unusually fast for his age. Yuugi had to run after him to the airport building to catch up with him. Turning his head every now and then to see if the girls were behind, he had to yell at his grandfather to slow down. He looked at his watch, noticing that they still had an hour and a half to get to the Museum of ancient artifacts, where the convention was about to take place.

But they still had to find the hotel they were staying at and check in, making Yuugi realize that perhaps they should speed up the things a bit. Waving to the girls, he turned his attention to the smaller plane, landing not so far away from the plane they arrived in.

'Must be a private jet or something', he thought, but had no time to look around, already loosing his grandpa out of sight.

"Geez, what's up with him?" Mai asked, panting slightly after running around the whole airport to get to the building. Tea smiled a bit, out of breath herself and turned around to look at her blond friend.

"I guess grandpa Mutou is in a hurry", she replied hastily, trying to find at least one of the Mutous in the large sea of people. The airport building was pretty, she thought, most of its part made of glass, reflecting the blue sky and shining on the sun. She blocked the reflections of the glass with her hand, scanning the crowd and trying to find the tri – color haired boy in it. She spotted him a few feet away and grabbing Mai's hand who yelped slightly, being pulled unsuspectingly, she sped up towards the main entrance of the building.

Yuugi was holding the sleeve of his grandfather's suit, feeling like a little lost boy, but that was the only way not to loose him out of sight again. He felt someone grabbing the end of his sleeve, and he turned around to look at Tea, heaving heavily, holding her chest.

"God, where's the fire?" Mai asked, panting as well, looking angrily at the boy in front of her, and then at his grandfather, who was currently trying to find the best way to wiggle trough the crowd.

"I'm sorry, but my gra-whoa!" Yuugi didn't manage to end his sentence because he was being pulled by Solomon, who already found a way to bypass the people around him.

"Come on, my boy, hurry!" He yelled enthusiastically, and Yuugi had no choice but to comply, and drag the two girls with him.

Mai sighed heavily, wishing she had a leash to secure them all from running away like a herd of wild ducks.

Ten minutes later they were by the reception, with their bags securely in their hands; Mai almost got in a fight with some crazy woman, who demanded that it was _her_ bag, on which Mai growled scathingly, asking her how could that be her bag when it had a tag with a name Mai Valentine on it.

Exiting the building, they stopped suddenly, the river of cars and taxi drivers all around them. Even children were running around them, offering them a guidance trough the city. Solomon declined firmly, saying he already found the guides, and pointing at the two young men, standing slightly away from the exit, holding 'Solomon Mutah' sign in their hands.

"Mutah?" Tea and Mai asked in unison, raising their eyebrows questioningly, while Yuugi sweatdropped. Solomon shook his head dejectedly.

"Must've been some misunderstanding in our communication", he commented, and headed to the two young men standing by the taxi car.

"Hello there", Solomon said politely, eyeing the two tall Egyptians, one having a long blondish hair, while the other had a darker hair, short and neatly combed.

"Ahh, Solomon Mutah!" The blond one said cheerfully, grabbing his hand and shaking it vigorously. The other smiled as well, nodding with his head, "I heard so much about you!" He added, still shaking his hand, smiling widely at the older man in front of him. Mai couldn't help but chuckle in amusement, while Tea giggled silently. Yuugi was left speechless, gaping at the young men, not believing that those two were supposed to lead them trough Egypt.

"It's such a pleasure to see you here", the dark – haired Egyptian said, eyeing him with respect.

Solomon smiled, letting out a few chuckles himself. "Thank you boys, but you must know that my last name is Mutou, not Mutah."

The blond Egyptian's wide smile froze and he smiled uneasily, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. 

"We are sorry", he said, and Solomon smiled understandingly. Then he turned around, catching the stunned expressions of his grandson and his friends.

"Oh, this is my grandson, Yuugi Mutou", he introduced, slightly emphasizing the last name, and Yuugi smiled politely, shaking their hands, "And these two lovely ladies are our friends, Tea Gardner and Mai Valentine", he added, introducing the two girls to them, and the boys smiled, shaking their hands happily.

"Joey", the blond Egyptian said, and then pointed at his friend, "and this is Tristan."

The girls nodded, and Solomon looked at his watch, rubbing the palms of his hands impatiently. 

"Well, shall we go then? I think you already know the schedule", Solomon asked, and the blond Egyptian named Joey, took a crumbled piece of paper from his green jacket.

"Ah, yes, first the hotel, then the Museum", he exclaimed, and Solomon nodded, already taking the bag in his hand.

"Well let's go then, there's no time to loose!" He shouted, already walking down the street victoriously.

Yuugi, the two girls and the two guides gaped at him, sweatdropping.

"But, sir", Tristan yelled after him, "you're going the wrong way! The hotel Oasis is on the other side!" Solomon turned around, looking at them in confusion.

"Really?" He asked, looking around the busy street, putting two fingers on his beard and smoothing it. "Oh well, let us go the other way then!" He exclaimed again, and almost storming past them, headed the other way down the street, leaving his companions stunned once again.

Joey and Tristan looked at each other, and Joey mumbled something to his friend, on which he only nodded.

'Wait sir', and 'Grandpa, you'll get lost again!' was heard after the three boys started running after him, leaving Tea and Mai half – eyed behind.

"Oh, brother..." Mai muttered, before Tea grabbed her by the hand, and pulled her after her, not wanting to risk her own safety in the unknown country.

Ishizu eyed the upcoming guests with great interest; she could see Mr. Hawkins, also a well known scientist and she smiled softly, glad that she could present them all her newest discovery.

She looked at her watch, calculating till she would have to get out on the small stage and present them all the bust of the Second soul. She almost grinned in satisfaction, wanting to see the faces of those old geezers who were proclaiming that the busts couldn't exist.

She turned around, feeling someone tapping her on the shoulder, and smiled, seeing one of her coworkers looking at her expectantly.

"Yes, Rashid?" She asked, looking at him, and the man smiled, peeping trough the curtain slightly to see the big hall, filled with chairs and the neatly looking stage, with a small representation desk and a few microphones on it.

The hall was starting to fill slightly, people buzzing around to make the last alterations till the beginning of the convention.

"It'll be a great event as I can see", he commented, and Ishizu nodded almost absentmindedly, already thinking of the best way to present her discovery. Then she almost slapped her forehead, and Rashid looked at her in surprise.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, observing her, slightly worried face. But she smiled only, reassuring him that nothing was wrong, except to the fact that she forgot to write her speech. Rashid chuckled softly, reminding her that it won't cost her a lot of time anyway, since she was a master when it came to speeches and shaping words into perfect sentences.

She smiled at him, and then disappeared behind him to write her speech and get ready on time, leaving Rashid to peep behind the curtain and observe the upcoming guests.

She nibbled on her pencil, thinking of the best way to present her new pride, and she started scribbling down the notes, words flowing effortlessly over the paper.

She hadn't noticed Solomon Mutou yet, but she hoped warmly that he would make it on time; she could still remember how she met him before on one of her trips and the next day, he came late to the restaurant and on top of it all – barely recognized her.

She smiled, scribbling the notes and wishing for her convention to be a success.

"You say you know the young lady?" Solomon asked the brown haired Egyptian, and he nodded, looking around the street.

"Yes, Ishizu, Joey and I are friends for some time already. We helped her with the diggings once, and since then, she considers us friends. She is very nice." Tristan notified, and Solomon nodded, smiling. Yuugi was listening carefully.

"I know, I've had the privilege to meet her, as well", he replied, positioning his bag a bit in his hands.

Joey and the girls were walking behind them, listening to the conversation. Tea was trying not to stumble too much due to the fact that her head was constantly turned in all directions besides the street. She was astonished with the buildings, people who were walking in long robes down the street, men wearing turbans, and women having their faces covered with veils. She spotted a large market, and Mai grabbed her camera instantly, stopping a bit to take a photo of the man, sitting on the ground, snakes placed in the wooden basket in front of him, and the crowd of children, laughing every time the snake would jump in the air from the basket. Tea smiled, noticing how the man seemed to meditate on the sun, and wondered if the man hadn't fallen asleep.

Joey noticed a few men looking at Mai with interest, eyeing the blond girl with eyes that held no good intentions, and he threw them a dirty look, slightly pulling Mai aside, and she looked at him, surprised.

Joey turned around to see the men standing not so far away, and frowned.

"What's wrong?" She asked, and Joey looked at the camera in her hands.

"You better hide that camera, Mai Valentine", he said, and she turned her eyes to the little black thing in her hands, "that thing costs a lot, if you know what I mean."

She raised her eyebrows, turning around to see the suspicious looking men still staring at them. Slowly, she put the camera inside her shirt, and glared at the men in long white robes.

"I see what you mean", she replied, and Joey nodded.

"Tourists are easy targets here for those like them", he commented, and then pulled her hand, guiding her trough the crowd on the street.

Solomon eyed the watch, and then frowned slightly. Tristan noticed his discomfort, and smiled.

"Do not worry, the hotel is behind this block", he said and pointed to the end of the street. Yuugi almost gasped, noticing the large buildings, skyscrapers reaching the blue sky, reflecting the day on the clear glass. He was gaping; astonished to see such a difference from the dusty streets they were walking down just a few minutes ago.

"This is the industrial area, am I right?" He asked the dark haired Egyptian and he nodded, guiding them further trough the streets made of concrete. The amount of cars and taxis was practically swimming down the road, which lead to the center of the city. Buses were full of people, and Yuugi noticed a policeman, standing in the middle of the street, with a whistle in his mouth, directing the traffic around him. It was so new to him, so different, and yet, he felt as if he was walking down the so familiar street, making his insides churn with a strange feeling of acknowledgment.

Joey turned around briefly, noticing that they lost the men in the white robes and sighed inwardly. Mai looked at him, observing the slightly darker shade of his skin, and his more chiseled features. He turned to look at her suddenly, and she almost blushed, averting her eyes quickly to look at the little window of a gift shop.

He raised his eyebrows, wondering why was the blond girl watching him like that.

"Come on, hurry already!" Tea yelled from ahead, and Mai almost yelped, noticing the distance between their little group. Joey put his hand on her shoulder, guiding her trough the almost unbreakable crowd, and she wanted nothing more than to reach the hotel, enter her room and hit the shower.

Twenty minutes later, they were at the reception of the Oasis hotel, spilling information about their arrival and their reservations. The receptionist, a young man in a nice blue outfit, handed them the keys of the rooms, and they sighed, finally reaching their first goal. The lobby was large, the floor covered with perfectly clean tiles, and Mai observed that she could actually see her reflection in them. Tea was fascinated with the ceiling of the lobby, which was totally made of glass, enabling everyone to see the sky. Solomon and Yuugi on the other hand, were fascinated with the amount of restaurants in the hotel, almost drooling over the window with Egyptian specialties.

"What on earth is that anyway?" Mai asked, pointing at the funny looking thing on one of the plates in the window.

"I don't care, as long as it's edible", Yuugi replied, already hearing the howling sound coming from his stomach.

"Ahem", Mai coughed, pointing at the large clock, positioned in the middle of the lobby, and Solomon's eyes widened drastically.

"Holy Ra!" He yelped, noticing the time on the clock, "There's no time for food, my boy!" He added, and grabbing his grandson's hand, he sprinted up the stairs, feet thumping over the red carpet. Mai smirked, shaking her head, until Tea approached her, holding the key of their room, eyeing the Mutous with half lidded eyes.

Joey and Tristan waved to them from the bottom of the stairs, and they took their bags, noticing that the boys already had their hands full of bags that belonged to Yuugi and his grandfather.

"I have a feeling this will be one hell of a trip", Mai muttered, grabbing her bag, and walking behind Tea, who only managed to nod in agreement.

"Any news yet?" The almost hollow voice echoed trough the empty room, revealing the cloaked figure sitting on the chair, very similar to the throne of some ancient Egyptian palace.

"I'm afraid not, Ancient One", the cloaked figure bowed before him respectfully, although fear was evident around the edges of his voice.

The tall figure sitting on the throne let out a silent breath, raising his head a bit to reveal a pair of sharp, emerald eyes. They narrowed dangerously, and the man in front of him let out a surprised yell, suddenly choking in front of him, grabbing the sides of his cloak desperately, his body floating slightly above the floor.

He was shaking frantically, eyes wide in fear and pain.

"P-ple-ease Ancient One", he choked out, his voice barely audible, "I won't m-make th-e same mis-s-take", he added, pleading eyes looking at the tall figure on the throne, "p-please, s-p-pare me!" He shrieked, and the emerald eyes closed, making the man fall down in a heap.

He coughed several times, breathing hastily to catch some oxygen, bowing several times, more out of fear than gratitude.

"Very well", the hollow voice coaxed, the tall figure crossing his leg across the other one, "You'll have your chance, but", he stopped, narrowing his eyes again, mouth opening to reveal a line of white teeth, lips curled into a snarl, "fail again, and the consequences will be rather painful for you." He added, and the man in front of him shuddered at the though of failing. He bowed again, and then scurried out of the room, shaken with the fact that he managed to avoid certain death this time.

The tall figure leaned into his chair, relaxing his hands on the sides of it, glaring at he golden looking double doors in front of him. He smirked, letting out a few chuckles.

"The Three souls won't rise again...I'll make sure of that."

_AN:_

_Whee, done with chapter I. It took me a while to write it, so I guess the other chapters won't come out that easily either. This will be a longer story, so be prepared for the lack of quick updates. *smiles uneasily*_

_Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Tell me what you think – drop me your comments, suggestions and rants._

_If anyone has a question, or anything else, you can e-mail me on sani_chan@email.htnet.hr_  

_Ok, so much from me for this time._

_Bye now!_

_A.S.A_


	3. The discovery

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...nope, I don't!

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter II – The discovery**

-by Alena S. Anigor

Tea was looking trough the window of the hotel, enjoying the view from the fifth floor. The street seemed like it was flowing, and people coursing trough it seemed like little busy ants to her. She took a deep breath, inhaling the air, but then frowned a bit, noticing that the air was different here in the center of the city. She liked the air at the airport much more – it was more Egypt like.

She heard the sound of the electric fan from the bathroom, and then snapped out of her sight seeing, deciding to unpack. She looked at the clock, and then grimaced, noticing how time passed quickly. She made a mental note to herself to adjust to the time zone here, and grabbing her bag, she opened the zipper and started stuffing things out onto the bed.

Mai was drying her hair with a fan, dragging fingers trough her blond locks to shape them. It took her a while, and then she stepped out, seeing Tea unpacking.

"Oh, shit," she spat, catching Tea's attention, and then hurried to her own bed, putting her bag up, and tumbling trough it.

"We don't have much time, so you better hurry," Tea notified, and Mai threw her an exasperated look, desperately searching something decent to wear for the convention.

"Don't you think I know that?" She chided, on the verge of frustration. There was a knock on the door, and Mai, being only in a towel, stopped breathing, quickly disappearing into the bathroom again, grabbing the first two pieces of cloth that came to her hands.

Tea shook her head, grinning slightly and went to the doors.

"Hi, Miss Tea Gardener, are you ready?" Joey asked her politely, and Tea smiled a bit, looking around the pretty much messy room. Joey took a quick glance, too, and came to the conclusion that they weren't ready yet. He shrugged a bit then smiled at the slightly baffled look on the brown – haired girl's face.

"We'll be leaving in fifteen minutes, just to notify you," he said, and Tea nodded. Joey turned to leave, before Tea stopped him.

"Joey?" She asked, and he turned around, looking at her expectantly, "Just call me Tea, okay?" she added, and he nodded, smiling a bit, then left down the corridor.

Tea closed the doors in a hurry, to meet Mai coming out of the bathroom in her standard style – a navy blue mini skirt, and a teal tank top. Tea whistled a bit, and Mai rolled her eyes.

"It was the only thing I managed to grab before you skidded off to open those damn doors," she replied hastily, and went to her bed in a search of other things.

Tea only giggled, before telling her that they should be done in fifteen minutes.

Solomon was sorting his papers, fidgeting with various notes, some of them older than five years. Yuugi cocked his eyebrows, observing the funny looking thing on one of the already pale papers, and then almost flinched when his grandfather grabbed the paper from his hands, putting it back into the pile in his small and strange leather briefcase. Yuugi shrugged and then headed towards the doors, already prepared to open them for the famous archeologist who was indeed in a great hurry. He noticed that his grandfather, as much as he was old and eccentric sometimes, was definitely very concentrated and composed when it came to his profession.

Solomon was mumbling something, obviously counting the number of folders in his briefcase, before nodding sharply, and then turning his head to the young man in front of him, smiled brightly.

"We're ready to go, my boy!" He announced, and Yuugi opened the door with courtesy, making his grandfather pat him on the head affectionately. Yuugi let out an exasperated sigh, before stumbling out after his grandpa, and locking the doors behind them. He put the key in the pocket of his jeans, and then followed his grandfather to the next room, which belonged to the two girls.

Solomon knocked once, and they heard a slight commotion in the room. He turned his head to look at his grandson who only shrugged innocently.

"Women..." He muttered, shaking his head, and then quickly plastering a smile on his face when Tea opened the door with a swooshing sound and stepped out, Mai following behind with a different outfit. She was wearing more decent clothes now, although her face didn't seem very content with the fact of wearing Tea's shorts and a sleeveless shirt.

"This is so not my style, you know," she muttered to her friend, and Tea sighed only, heading after the Mutous.

Mai grumbled a bit, then straightening her beige shorts, started walking after them, with a look of discomfort on her face.

Joey and Tristan were leaned on the reception, talking with the receptionist in their language, before Tristan spotted the little group of people walking down the carpet - covered stairs. He nudged Joey slightly, and he turned around, too, straightening in his pose and greeting them with a smile.

"Are you ready?" He asked the oldest member and Solomon nodded, Yuugi and the girls confirming his question with a 'yes'.

"Let us go then," Tristan added, turning towards the glass doors in front of them, "I called two taxis, it takes a while to get to the museum." He added, and Solomon went after him, his steps hurried as usual. Joey said something to the receptionist on which he smiled, and then letting the younger members of the group go first, headed after them, putting his hands in his pockets.

Two yellow taxis were parked in front of the hotel, and Solomon stepped with his Yuugi and Tristan into the first one, while the girls, together with Joey, squeezed into the other one.

Joey said something to the taxi driver, pointing to the car parked in front of them and he nodded, straightening the little mirror to see the two girls better. He smiled, and almost grinned, spotting Mai and Tea, and while Tea smiled uneasily, Mai only managed to cock her eyebrows, and place a look of sheer ignorance on her face. 

The taxi driver; an older man with mustaches and a little red cap on his head, turned his radio on, and the gipsy like music filled the interior of the car, making the both girls flinch and grit their teeth. Joey tapped him on the shoulder, saying something to him that girls didn't understand, and the driver fidgeted a bit on the radio, the volume of the music falling down slightly.

"Oh, thank you _so_ much," Mai muttered to Joey, who was sitting next to her, and he only grinned, already well accustomed to the way strangers reacted to that kind of music.

The taxi shifted a bit, followed by a loud roar of the engine, and Tea closed her eyes for a second, afraid that the taxi might fall apart in the end. When the tires started moving and the taxi driver was already on the road, the girls sighed in relief. Joey only smirked, already used to that kind of transportation. After all, they weren't in Japan, and they couldn't expect anything more.

The Museum of the ancient artifacts was bustling with people walking around and looking at various objects exhibited in windows, under each one of them a little tag with description of the artifact. 

The main hall was already crowded with people taking their seats. Ishizu smiled politely to Mr. Hawkins who was chatting with an older man in a dark suit sitting next to him. She scanned the hall one more time, a bit disappointed when she didn't see Solomon Mutou anywhere. She clutched the little piece of paper in her hand, her speech ready for the presentation.

Rashid came from behind, startling her a bit when he coughed slightly to get her attention. She raised a pair of questioning eyes to him and he turned his head aside, directing her gaze towards the crowd of photographers and journalists, all of them crowded around a young boy with black messy hair, who was currently trying to avoid any questions directed to him.

"Isn't that...?" Ishizu whispered to him, and he nodded, looking at the smaller boy with interest.

"Mokuba Kaiba," he affirmed, and Ishizu stared for a moment at the smaller boy who managed to step out of the crowd of annoying journalists, accompanied by his bodyguards.

"That means that Seto Kaiba is here, as well," Ishizu commented and Rashid nodded, his face slightly darkening. He crossed his arms on his chest, eying the smaller boy with a mixture of wariness and interest. A small smile appeared on Ishizu's face; apparently, she managed to organize an interesting convention, since even Seto Kaiba decided to come. She was slightly puzzled, though; she couldn't imagine what intentions did he have that he wanted to come here in the first place. As much as she knew, he was a very rich businessman, leading a software corporation, with a few branches in Egypt. She had no idea why would he be interested in old artifacts, and that made her slightly apprehensive. Seto Kaiba was definitely a very respected, but also a very feared young man; already owning more companies than only his own, and buying new ones in a matter of minutes...could it be that he had intentions of dealing with her museum?

"Ishizu?" Rashid tapped her on the shoulder, and she jumped slightly, lost in her thoughts. She looked at her coworker with a worried expression, but that expression subsided and she smiled at him.

"I'm fine," she reassured him, and Rashid nodded, leaving her to once again stare at the back of the dark – haired boy, followed by a bunch of taller and muscular men.

"Odd," she whispered when something seemed to shift inside of her as she was looking at the younger Kaiba sibling.

"We're here!" Tristan exclaimed, jumping out of the taxi and opening the doors for the famous archeologist. Solomon stepped out, straightening his suit, and Yuugi practically stormed out, having enough of the gipsy music and the taxi driver, who was obviously a chain smoker. The taxi left, and Yuugi finally breathed in some fresh air, waving his hand in front of his nose and coughing occasionally.

"I'm sorry, young man," Tristan said sheepishly, "I should have called another one." He added, but Yuugi waved his other hand at him so he looked like one of those policemen in the middle of the street. Solomon was eyeing the tall building, the structure still the same as he remembered it when he was here a few years ago.

Yuugi turned around to see if the girls were there, and his eyes widened when he saw taxis everywhere and no Tea and Mai in sight. Tristan got the picture, and ordered them to stay where they were while he went to see where the rest of them got stuck.

"I hope they're still alive," Yuugi said, slightly concerned about his friends. Solomon paid no attention to his words, he was eager to enter the building. He looked at his watch and let out a yelp, seeing that the convention would start in 10 minutes.

"Yuugi, where are they?" He turned to his grandson, who was trying to stand on his tiptoes and see if he could find any of them in the crowd of people. He spotted Joey with Tristan behind him, dragging two girls trough the sea of people, and sighed in relief.

"They're coming," he replied to his grandpa, and Solomon nodded, once again straightening his suit, averting his gaze towards the large double doors at the top of the stone stairs. Tea and Mai were panting; their breaths ragged from the mingling trough the crowd. Joey and Tristan were certainly a big help, but they still weren't used to so many people stepping on their feet, and being totally rude not to let them pass.

They were once again complete and Joey and Tristan were now leading them trough the doors, and down the marble – covered corridor to the right.

"I thought the hall was on the left," Solomon commented thoughtfully, confusion written on his face. Joey and Tristan grinned, leading them down the almost empty corridor, until they reached the doors with letters written in Arabian.

"It is, but we want you to meet our friend before it all starts," Joey smiled and entered, Tristan following behind. Yuugi and the girls exchanged meaningful glances, before they were being pulled trough the doors.

Dozens of people were running around them, in full contrast to their relaxed walk trough the large room with requisites and various masks, sculptures and artifacts. Joey pulled the red curtain a bit and spotting a dark – haired woman in front of him, smiled.

"Hey, Ishizu!" He exclaimed, earning himself a bump on the head from Tristan. He mumbled something again on their language, and the blond Egyptian grinned sheepishly.

Ishizu approached them, looking at them in surprise and astonishment.

"Joey, Tristan, what are you doing here? The convention will start any minute now!" It wasn't until she noticed one familiar face behind them that she stopped scolding them. Her eyes widened slightly, and she almost hugged the old man, but she grabbed his hands in hers, bowing respectfully in front of him.

"Mr. Mutou, I'm so glad you managed to arrive," she said, eyes full of joy and astonishment. Solomon smiled at the taller woman, while Yuugi and the girls were left with their mouth agape. Solomon scratched the back of his head in that characteristic manner, and then decided to introduce his friends to her.

Ishizu wanted to bow, finally meeting the younger Mutou, his grandfather was talking about so much, but Yuugi stopped her from bowing, and shook her hand instead.

"Yuugi Mutou, nice to meet you," he said, and Ishizu nodded respectfully.

"The pleasure is mine, too," she replied, and then shook her hands with Mai and Tea, who were absolutely stunned with the amount of jewelry on the young woman. Mai decided to take a quick photo of them all together, before placing the camera back into her shirt.

Ishizu lost the track of time, talking to her friends, and it was Joey who reminded her of the convention. She gasped, clasping the hand on her mouth, and stood up quickly.

"By Horus, you're right!" She said, and then ushering them out of the smaller office they were all in, they headed back trough that same corridor, only to meet another commotion, when a ton of people were crowded around someone, cameras clicking, flashing around the corridor. Joey and Tristan raised their eyebrows, while Ishizu frowned slightly.

Tall men in dark suits managed to push all the journalists and photographers away to reveal a tall young man in the dark trench coat, holding the silver metallic briefcase in his hands. 

His face was serious, almost expressionless, and he was holding his brother's hand, making his way down the corridor. He stepped accidentally on Joey's foot, and he yelped, spitting curses at him in Arabian, which he simply ignored, continuing to walk towards the big hall.

"That arrogant little-" He was cut off when Ishizu clasped his mouth and pushed him towards the hall. She turned around to look at the rest of them.

"You go and take a seat, the convention will start soon, and I still have some things to do. I will see you in there."

"But what are you going to show us?" Solomon asked, trying to decipher her mysterious behavior. Ishizu turned around and smiled mischievously at them.

"You'll see," she replied enigmatically.

With that she left again, disappearing behind the corner, and Tea and Yuugi looked at each other questioningly. Mai put her fingers on her chin, thinking about the man they just saw and about the fact that she saw him somewhere before.

"Hmm..." She was staring at the marble floor, making Tea and Yuugi look at her in wonder, "I've seen that guy already...somewhere..." she half – whispered and Tea smacked her forehead. Yuugi and the rest of them looked at her awkwardly.

"Of course! You're right! That guy is-"

"Seto Kaiba," Joey interrupted her, saying the name trough gritted teeth, the stinging pain in his toes still evident, "the bastard that owns a multimillionaire company here." He added, glaring daggers after the herd of bodyguards, shielding his view at the powerful CEO.

Yuugi and Solomon's eyes widened slightly. "_The_ Seto Kaiba?" Yuugi asked perplexed, and Tea nodded, hey eyes following the men in suits.

"Seems like every CEO I know – cold, arrogant and filthy rich," Mai pointed out, unconsciously gripping her camera around her neck, "Maybe I should interview him later."

"If you get close enough to survive," Joey spat out, obviously already holding a grudge against the enigmatic young man. Mai only chuckled, slightly amused with his behavior.

"Maybe we should go now?" Tristan broke the discussion and the group of people looked at him. Yuugi blinked for a moment, realizing that his grandfather was gone. He looked around, but couldn't find him anywhere.

"Where is my gra-" then he halted, seeing Tristan pointing to the hall. "Oh..."

"Shall we go?" Tristan said again, leading the way trough the corridor. The small group of people followed; Mai already preparing the list of questions she would direct to the rich CEO, Tea wanting to see what the convention was all about, Yuugi being slightly irritated with his grandfather's disappearance just like that, and Joey still raging inside, wrinkling his toes to see if they weren't broken. When he first saw Kaiba on TV, he didn't like him, and now he was definitely sure he hated him. He remembered how he almost fell off his chair when his sister commented how cute Kaiba looked like.

He shook his head, deciding to take the seat next to Mai, who was checking on her camera.

The hall was full, people whispering to each other, waiting impatiently for the convention to start. Yuugi was scolding his grandfather for his disappearance, while Tea and Mai turned around to see Seto Kaiba sitting in the farthest corner of the hall, surrounded with his bodyguards. Mokuba was tapping his foot against the marble floor, his face revealing sheer boredom.

Yuugi noticed the way his face was serious, and almost flinched when the young man looked at him, piercing blue eyes revealing something he didn't like very much. He averted his gaze away quickly, feeling as if that look was boring a hole in his soul.

Joey and Tristan's attention was on the small stage when one of the men they used to see working with Ishizu, stepped on it, and the whispering and shushing died down in the large hall.

The man started speaking, his English sounding a bit strange, but understandable. He announced the newest discovery of the museum, and let the young woman take the stage instead of him. The sound of hands clapping filled the hall, and Ishizu stood proudly in front of the well - respected people, smiling warmly at them. She scanned the room quickly, smiling at the faces of her friends, and then averting her gaze to Seto Kaiba who was looking at her intently, not bothering to clap. She almost frowned, traces of suspicion coming back, but she suppressed her frown, nodding at everyone. Her breath got caught in her throat slightly when she noticed a glimpse of sandy hair crossing down the corridor.

'Could it be?' She thought, searching for any sign of the person whom she thought she had seen. Seeing no one, she sighed inwardly, telling herself that her mind was playing tricks on her due to the excitement. She coughed once, and the clapping stopped. She started speaking, greeting everyone and introducing herself. 

After a brief introduction, she let Rashid bring the bust to the presentation table, and put it down. The bust was, however covered with the red cloth and no one could see what was hidden beneath it.

"And now," she started, finished with her speech, "the moment you've been all waiting for, and the reason why we all gathered here." She said, watching faces of everyone looking at her in anticipation.

"May I present you," she said proudly, taking the cloth of the bust, "the Second soul!"

Gasps and whispers filled the hall now, faces of everyone expressing the shock and disbelief. Ishizu smiled slightly, noticing how Solomon Mutou's mouth hung open, and even Seto Kaiba's eyes widened slightly.

"That's impossible!" An older man spoke from the crowd, "The Souls don't exist! It's a mere legend!" he shouted, other voices agreeing with him, demanding an explanation. Ishizu sighed, already well prepared for that kind of outcome.

She took the bust in her hand, now fully cleaned and brushed, looking graceful. She smiled at the older man, and put the bust in front of her.

"I assure you, the bust exists, and if anyone doubts the bust is fake, should come here and see for himself." She cut the other man's protest and another set of whispers filled the hall. That was, no doubt the most controversial convention she had, in her opinion.

"So, that is what she discovered," Solomon smiled smugly, smoothing his beard, and making Yuugi look at him in wonder.

"What is that? I've never heard of those souls..." Tea asked, looking at the bust in Ishizu's hands with confusion. Solomon smirked, while Mai took the chance to take a picture.

"A statue of a guy with a giant bug on his head...very impressive," she commented, words full of sarcasm.

"That's because it was just a mere legend, nobody ever thought of trying to find it. I'll tell you later about the legend," Solomon said, trying to make himself heard trough other voices around them.

Lots of men gathered around the table, eyeing the bust with disbelief and astonishment. Ishizu was almost glowing in satisfaction; her hard work has finally paid off.

Seto Kaiba stood up, saying something to Mokuba and he gingerly ran out of the hall, his older brother leaving after him with his bodyguards. Joey snorted after seeing the CEO leave, and Mai yelled in desperation for not managing to get an interview.

"Darn!" The blond journalist spat, crossing her hands angrily across her chest. She decided to take some pictures of the bust instead, and shoving her way trough the old men in front of the table, she took her camera and started taking photos. 

Rashid smiled at Ishizu and she nodded, leaving him to take care of the bust, while she strolled down the stairs to approach her friends.

Solomon smiled in triumph, hugging her happily, and making everyone else stare at them in wonder.

"Congratulations, you've finally made it," Solomon said, and Ishizu beamed at him, her hand on his shoulder. Tea and Yuugi exchanged awkward glances.

"You think your grandpa has something to do with all this?" Tea leaned to her friend, putting her hand aside and whispering to his ear. Yuugi was speechless for a while, until he shook his head.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he replied, whispering back. 

"Well then, this calls for a celebration!" Solomon shouted, making Ishizu laugh. She shook her finger at him.

"Not yet," she replied, turning her head to the table behind her, "first they all have to be convinced that the bust is real and authentic..." she frowned slightly. "Although I have no doubts some will still claim that the busts can't exist."

"There are more of them?" Tea asked, becoming interested in the legend, and Ishizu nodded.

"Well, I still insist we go and celebrate this!" Solomon suggested again, and Yuugi sweatdropped. Ishizu nodded, and smiled. She averted her eyes to the seat where Seto Kaiba was sitting and found it empty. It still puzzled her; why would the great Seto Kaiba be interested in ancient artifacts?

Solomon nudged his grandson and offered everyone to pay a dinner at a restaurant on which they all agreed, although Ishizu was slightly reluctant to let him pay for dinner.

She winked to Rashid to take care of the bust and he nodded, letting the men around the bust to discuss about it for a while, until interrupting them with the news about the banquet.

Mai approached the group, still pouting for missing the chance to interview Seto Kaiba. Joey notified her about the dinner, and her eyes brightened immediately.

"Great! I'm hungry!" She exclaimed, earning herself a laugh from everyone.

Ishizu excused herself, saying that she should stay for a while because of the banquet, but promised to meet them later at the hotel. She went to Rashid and waved at them.

Joey sighed, and Solomon tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, boy, just take us back to the hotel now."

Joey and Tristan nodded, and leaving the hall, waved one last time to Ishizu.

Seto Kaiba walked ceremoniously down the corridors, having Mokuba asking questions about their arrival home. He replied something absentmindedly, before falling into silence once again. One of his bodyguards bumped into someone and Kaiba could only hear a 'sorry' from the person before it vanished behind the corner. He frowned; the bust was certainly something worth having, although he didn't know why...either way, it will belong to him. After all, any price was never too high for him.

The person who bumped into one of Kaiba's bodyguards cursed inwardly when passing them by. He wasn't supposed to be seen, but what the heck; it's not like anyone would find a normal janitor suspicious. Turning to the left corridor, he opened the doors and stepped inside, closing them behind with a key.

"And?" The other person asked, looking at him expectantly, his hair covered with a cap, although a few whitish bangs were noticeable.

"It's all set," the person in front of him said, and the other one smirked slightly, a pair of brown orbs glistening in the dark.

"Good," he replied, leaning on the wall of the small room meant for brooms and cleaning supplies. 

"Bakura?" The other person asked him, and he raised his head, white bangs covering his eyes slightly.

"What?"

"You really think that bust is worth something?" The sandy – haired boy asked, tilting his head aside a bit. The young man named Bakura chuckled in amusement.

"If I say it is, then it is," he replied, smoothly crossing his hands over his chest, and the other young man in front of him nodded, smirking.

"You're the boss," he replied coolly, and both of them smiled almost sardonically before exiting the room, each of them holding a mop in their hands, heading towards the other corridor where the hall was. 


	4. The first attempt

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...simple as that.

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter III – The first attempt**

-by Alena S. Anigor

"Oh, please, anything but that again..." Mai moaned, covering her ears with her hands, hearing the gipsy like music coming from the radio. The taxi driver didn't pay any attention to the blond journalist and Joey had to tap him on the shoulder, muttering something on his language. The taxi driver cast one glance at the grimacing expressions of the girls behind him and then chuckled, lowering the volume.

He turned again, and Tea managed to muster a smile, although the smile on her lips looked as if she just bit into something sour. Mai sighed, thanking Joey once again and he grinned, wondering if the tourists would ever get used to that kind of music. After all, he read somewhere that that kind of music was relaxing and good for meditation.

Yuugi, Solomon and Tristan were squeezed in the other taxi, Yuugi shifting every now and then to find the best position to sit in. The keys of the hotel room were becoming an obstacle in his pockets, and he couldn't wait to come back to the hotel so he could change. Solomon was still having that same smile plastered on his lips, actually proud of the young woman who managed to prove everyone that the Souls existed. His smile crept away slowly, when he realized that he'd have to pay dinner for seven people. He almost smacked his forehead, already calculating how much money he'd have to give away.

By the time the convention was over, it became really late, and when they reached the hotel, the night was already falling, street lamps turning on in the center of the city, and the traffic didn't seem to subside one moment. 

Mai stepped out of the taxi and her other foot got stuck between the edge of the doors, and Joey had to help her out. She thanked him, blushing a bit when the blond Egyptian had to take her hands and pull her out. Solomon and the two young men were already waiting by the entrance of the hotel, and they hurried after them, eager to change and get to the restaurant.

Mai had her clothes spread over the entire bed; what to wear a tough choice. Tea was done with the shower, and she sat on her bed, drying her hair with the towel, staring out the window. It was open, and they could hear the sound of the cars and people from outside. The city seemed alive just like it was from the first moment they arrived. Tiny specks of stars were shining on the, already dark sky, the crescent moon evident also.

The girls were oddly silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts; Mai was still dwelling if she should wear the mini skirt or something more conservative while Tea was lost in her thoughts about the legendary Souls. She wondered why she had never stumbled across the story. She knew she hadn't read _all_ the books about the ancient Egyptian mythology, but she was well accustomed with the old gods and pharaohs. About the Three souls, however, she never read anything. 

"Wonder why...?" She half - whispered and Mai turned around, holding two pieces of cloth in her hands.

"What?" She asked, and Tea snapped out of her thoughts, turning her attention to her friend. 

"Oh, nothing, sorry," she smiled then observed the black mini skirt and a bluish shirt in her hands. She turned her head aside, pointing at the clothes in Mai's hands, "You're going to wear that?" She asked, and Mai cast her gaze downwards, plopping onto the bed like she had been walking for days.

"I guess," she replied absentmindedly then raised her head, staring at the moon, "I don't know if that's good enough."

"Good enough for the dinner, or good enough for Joey?" Tea asked gingerly, and Mai turned her head to her friend, eyes slightly wide in shock and surprise. For a moment, she was speechless, her mouth working but no words coming out. Tea grinned, leaning back onto the pillow and crossing her fingers across her abdomen.

"So, I was right," she added, the almost wicked gleam in her eyes, "you seem to like the Egyptian guy, huh?" Mai was still staring at her bewildered, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.

"O-of course not!" She spluttered quickly, making Tea look at her slyly and making the blond journalist nervous. Tea sat up again, putting her hands in her lap neatly, then smiled at her warmly.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she said softly, making Mai blush an interesting shade of red, "and who knows? I think he likes you, too." She added, and Mai shook her head, standing up sharply. She headed for the bathroom in order to change.

"Whatever," she turned her head a bit to look at the brown – haired girl on the bed, "we'll be going back in a few days, and I'll probably never see him again." She added then disappeared behind the wall that lead to the bathroom. Tea sighed, wishing she could fall in love with someone.

"So, tell me," Yuugi was digging trough his grandfather's papers, trying to find something about the legend of the three Souls, "what is that all about?" He asked, becoming frustrated with the amount of papers in his hands and not finding anything that could answer his question.

Solomon was lying on his bed, relaxing a bit, and looking at the white ceiling. The little lamp beside the bed was on, and Solomon chuckled, amused with his grandson's impatience.

"I told you I'd tell you everything...later," he replied, making the younger Mutou growl. He sighed, turning his head to look at his grandpa who was having his eyes closed, pretending to sleep. Yuugi frowned, something very similar to a pout on his lips.

"You're being unfair," he chided, folding the papers back into the leather briefcase. A slight smile appeared at the corner of Solomon's mouth and Yuugi sat on the chair beside the desk, leaning into it and staring out the window.

"When are we going, anyway?" He asked, still looking at the moon and Solomon coughed softly, cleaning his throat.

"In half an hour," he replied, and Yuugi nodded in agreement. He turned to his grandfather once again and saw that he really looked like he was asleep. Then he remembered something and opened his mouth to speak.

"What about Joey and Tristan?"

Solomon opened his eyes slightly and then closed them again. "They're the guides, they already know the schedule. Don't worry, my boy, everything is already planned, so relax and enjoy!" He replied enthusiastically and Yuugi cocked his eyebrows.

'Typical,' he thought and shook his head, crossing his hands over his chest.

Twenty minutes later, Mai was still fidgeting with her hair, until Tea ushered her out of the bathroom and practically threw her out of the hotel room.

"You look fine!" She said exasperated, looking at her watch. Mai grumbled, mumbling something about how her shirt was too baggy, and then almost yelped when Tea pulled her by the sleeve and started dragging her down the hall. Yuugi and his grandfather were already waiting by the reception, Joey and Tristan chatting with them about the convention. They were looking very nice, both of them dressed very elegantly and the girls were stunned to see them, Mai's eyes resting on Joey's hair that was, although still messy, hanging loosely down his neck, looking neatly combed. Solomon smiled at the girls and Yuugi was slightly taken aback seeing Tea in a nice dress. She blushed a bit, a tad surprised by the way her childhood friend was staring at her.

"Well then, shall we go?" Solomon asked, and Tristan grinned.

"And, don't worry – this time, we picked the good ones." He said, the remark meant for the taxi drivers.

The young people smiled, and then headed down the lobby, Solomon and Tristan continuing to talk about the convention, while Yuugi was complimenting his friend, making Tea blush again. She wasn't the only one who blushed; Joey offered his hand to Mai, and she was hesitating a bit, before she smiled nervously and then took his hand.

"You look very lovely," he commented, and Mai stuttered a barely audible 'thank you.'

The taxis were waiting in front of the hotel, and they separated, taking their seats and waiting for the taxis to take them to their next destination.

Ishizu was typing on her computer, eyeing the bust every now and then and letting her impressions and data appear on the white screen. Rashid was busy ordering the other staff what to do with the old artifacts that were on their way to be delivered to the museum in Europe. The other staff was cleaning the hall, cleaning everything what was left after the banquet. Ishizu looked at her watch, and her eyes widened seeing what the time was. She hesitated, glancing at the bust then at her watch; she wanted to stay here and finish her work, but she promised the retired archeologist that she would come to dinner. She sighed, turning her head and waving to Rashid, who let his voice quiet down, leaving the hall.

Ishizu stood up, retrieving her coat, and smiled at her coworker and a friend who raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"I have to go now, you know what the deal is," she started, and he nodded, smiling, "so I'm leaving you to stay in charge from now on." She added and Rashid nodded again. She eyed the bust and then saved the file into the computer's database, turning it off. She pointed to the bust that was standing gracefully by the monitor.

"Take care of it," she said, her expression turning into a serious one, "I'm counting on you."

Rashid nodded, turning his attention to the little statue on the desk and then smiled at his boss.

"Have fun," he exclaimed and Ishizu smiled back.

"Hopefully, I will," she replied and then casting one last glance at the Second Soul, she waved at him and exited the room, sighing deeply. Something was, however, bothering her; something she couldn't put a finger on. She had this odd feeling inside her stomach that was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't decipher what exactly that was. She still felt a bit torn between staying in the museum and going to the restaurant, but she made a promise to an old friend, and promises should be kept to old friends.

She sighed once again, reluctantly grabbing the handle of the entrance doors and skidding down the stone stairs, searching for a taxi that was available.

Rashid was eyeing the bust for a while, before he decided to take it from the desk and place it somewhere safe. He put it into a small wooden box, sealing it with the lock. Ishizu taught him once that everything in the museum had its value, and that no matter how small or meaningless the item looked like, it was old and ancient and it was worth keeping and protecting. He knew, too, that there were people out there who would give anything to get their hands on the particular little bust in the wooden box. He himself hadn't heard about the Souls, but Ishizu had said something to him before, about the legendary power they possessed and their purpose. That was two years ago, when they first started searching for them, and he forgot the details by now already. He knew though, that the Souls were of a great importance and that they should be kept safe.

He put the little box in one of Ishizu's drawers; he always put there everything that was small and important to her. He locked the drawer, too and headed to the hall, determined to have it cleaned by the next day.

"I hate this," one of the janitors mumbled, dragging the pieces of papers and napkins behind the mop, sandy hair hidden beneath his cap.

The other one smirked under the shadows of the brim, dark eyes revealing amusement, as he was wiping the floor with a moist cloth covering his mop.

"What's the matter, Marik? You've never cleaned anything in your whole life?" The white haired young man asked, raspy voice low and quiet. The other one stopped cleaning, giving him a dirty look, which was soon replaced by the one of something else. He lowered his head, remembering how he used to clean the house when he was younger and his sister was at school.

'My sister...' the word echoed trough his mind, sounding so alien like and strange. He snorted, raising his head, violet orbs full of mockery.

"Like you ever have, Bakura," he replied, and the white haired man chuckled again, putting the mop into the water filled bucket and retrieving it out a moment later to start wiping the floor again. Traces of wetness were left behind him as he let his arms work back and forth. Marik stopped cleaning, watching in wonder how his companion was neatly wiping the floor like a real janitor. The hall was empty now, and Marik peeped behind the curtain to see if anyone was there. Seeing no one, he turned back to look at the white haired thief.

"Oi, Bakura," he asked, his voice echoing around the hall. Bakura turned around sharply, eyes narrowed in anger.

"Idiot! What are you trying to pull?" He asked vehemently and Marik smirked, resting his elbow on the wooden staff.

"Relax, nobody is here," he replied, and Bakura seethed quietly.

"That's your guess," he said, his mop now resting, too. Marik shrugged and then pointed behind the curtain.

"You can see it for yourself," he exclaimed, "we're the only ones here, and you're acting as if _this_," he pointed at him and his stance, holding a mop, "is what you're really doing."

Bakura was staring at him for a moment then smirked, noticing the way his companion was looking at him.

"Well, my dear Marik," he started, leaning on the mop, "I like to keep things clean and right. You think I'm so dumb to leave certain _things_ behind, after my _job_ is done?" He added and Marik raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying we should cut the crap and get to business," he replied, and Bakura stopped glaring at him. He observed the hall, noticing that it was still filled with papers, dirt and a few broken glasses.

Bakura smirked, letting the mop fall to the ground and stepping on one of the shards of broken glass, he turned around to look at the sandy haired boy.

"You're right," he replied and Marik grinned evilly.

"It was about time," he mumbled and throwing his mop away, he disappeared behind the curtain with Bakura swiftly following behind.

Ten minutes later they stood in the middle of the office that belonged to Ishizu, angrily eyeing the room. The ruckus they made in other rooms probably surpassed the one made by guests in the hall.

"Damn that woman," Bakura growled, making Marik eye him carefully, "where the hell did she put that bust?" He almost yelled in anger, but managed to control himself barely. Marik scanned the room, and his gaze fell on the two drawers in her desk. He was by them in a second, trying to open them but as he presumed, they were locked. Bakura watched intently, observing his companion and them tumbling a bit trough his pocket, managed to fish out a thin pin. It glistened a bit on the light and he knelt down by the other boy, pushing the pin into the lock and twisting it a bit to find the right spot.

Rashid almost had a heart attack, seeing the mess in the room he just entered. His eyes widened drastically, as he stumbled across the turned chairs and desks, various artifacts lying on the floor. He cursed in Arabian, and then grabbing the first thing that came to his hand, opened the doors to reveal another perfectly upside down turned room. 

"Damn it!" He yelled, and then disappeared into the room on the right where the surveillance systems were. As he thought, the computers were off, the surveillance systems completely useless, and he reached for the phone, typing a few numbers in a hurry. He managed to report the break in to the police before he left the phone down, and holding a funny looking spear in his hands, headed to the office. 

Bakura and Marik opened the first drawer, which revealed nothing but a bunch of papers and notes, making Bakura growl. Marik fidgeted with the other lock when they heard footsteps coming towards the office. They were on their feet in a second, Bakura with his back to the wall by the doors, already holding the dagger in his hands. Marik was behind the desk, cursing their bad luck. The doors opened with a bang, almost hitting Bakura if he hadn't stopped them with his foot. Rashid wasn't even able to turn around when he felt a sharp pain coursing trough his left shoulder, and he cried out, wincing as he hit the floor with his knees.

"Damn you, old man!" Bakura growled, ready to stick the knife again but Marik ran across the room, making him stop, and pulling him behind.

"He probably called the police already, let's go! We'll have another chance!" He spat, looking at the white haired young man with impatience, and Bakura growled, putting the dagger back into his jacket, and disappearing down the hall. Marik managed to cast one glance at the older man in front of him, before he frowned, a cold expression crossing his features, and he started running, leaving Rashid kneeling on the floor, holding his shoulder in a painful grip. Blood trickled down his arm, making a puddle on the floor and he gasped, ragged breaths filling the empty room. 

Marik lead them trough the back door and they were now facing the small and narrow alley, with no lights on, and Bakura sighed in relief, hiding in the shadows. Marik breathed a breath of relief, too, but then tensed, hearing the police sirens from the near distance.

"We better scram," Marik notified and Bakura frowned at him, dark eyes glistening with anger and fury in the shadows.

"I could've killed him," he exclaimed, "why did you stop me?" He spat out, making Marik lower his head. He knew he had made a mistake, but still...Rashid was someone he knew from a long time ago.

The sirens were very near now, and both thieves turned their heads to look at the street in front of them. Bakura growled, then headed down the street, determined to get away before getting caught. Marik strolled down after him, not turning around once.

Solomon made a joke about his old friend from the school days, when Ishizu's cell phone rang. She smiled politely, enjoying the dinner, and took the ringing phone in her hand.

Everyone was quiet when she said 'hello', but their expression slowly started to get worried, seeing a terrified Ishizu sitting in front of them. She only managed to choke out a very weak 'I'm coming', before breaking the conversation and putting the phone down into her purse. She stood up so quickly, that she almost took the whole table with her. Her face was pale, and Solomon also stood up, his face revealing worry.

"Ishizu?" Joey asked, and she eyed them all with a quick glance. Putting her coat on, she grabbed her purse.

"Something happened at the museum, and Rashid...Rashid was hurt," she managed to utter and everyone gasped in shock.

"What happened?

"Who did that?"

"I'm coming with you!"

Was heard from the table and Ishizu nodded, smiling a faint smile as she literally stormed out of the restaurant, five young people following behind. Solomon ran as fast as he could to the waiter and shoved the check and the money in his hands. He ran after them, leaving a stunned waiter and a few stunned guests as well.

Ishizu was boiling from the inside, tapping her foot nervously against the floor of the taxi, cursing the cars and the people around her in Arabian, making the taxi driver gap at her every now and then.

Everyone else was quiet, casting worried glances among themselves, not daring to say a word.

When they finally reached the museum, the first thing they saw was the herd of the police cars parked in front of the museum, policemen running around and marking the museum with yellow straps. Ishizu ran to the main entrance, but a policeman stopped her with his hand.

"I'm sorry, you can't get in, this is a crim-"

"I know that! I'm the owner of this museum and one of my coworkers is hurt, so get the hell out of my way!" She screamed, making the young policeman flinch and he let her pass, turning aside quickly to avoid the young woman's wrath. Solomon and the others managed to run past him, too, and he cursed silently after them.

Ishizu was running frantically trough the corridors, searching for any sign of the older man who was her best friend.

"Rashid!" She screamed trough the halls, spotting a crowd of people gathered in front of her office and she gasped when she pushed her way trough the crowd to see a few medics helping him up, his shoulder bandaged and his face pale.

"Rashid!" She screamed again, catching the attention of the people in the office and one of them turned to look at her, black mustaches messy beneath his nose.

"Who are you?" He asked, blocking her way to her friend. Ishizu gave him a warning look, but he still blocked her way.

"I'm the owner of this museum and that," she pointed to Rashid, "is my friend! Now would you please let me pass?!" She screeched and the man raised an eyebrow before letting her pass and she stormed to the older man, who was still holding his arm.

"Ishizu..." He choked out, stopping in front of her as she stared in shock at him.

"Rashid, what...what happened?" She asked him, eyes wide with fear and worry. "Are you all right?"

Rashid nodded, although his facial expression revealed everything. A few tears escaped Ishizu's eyes and she let out a sob, making him smile faintly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to leave this world so soon," he replied, making her smile in spite her tears. Solomon, together with Yuugi and others were staring blankly at the scene in front of them, completely speechless.

"I'm inspector Muhadda," the man with mustaches approached them, making them all stare at him now, "may I know who you are?" He asked them grimly, eyeing them suspiciously.

Solomon managed to collect his thought first. "We're the friends of the young lady." He replied, and insp. Muhadda cocked an eyebrow.

"And do you know what happened here?" He asked them again, scribbling something down on a piece of paper.

"No, we were all at the restaurant when her cell phone rang and then she told us that someone got hurt. We got here as soon as we could," Mai replied, eyeing the man with something that resembled apathy.

"So, so..." He mumbled then left again to say something to other people that were gathered in the office.

"Who was it?" Ishizu whispered, desperate to know who hurt her best friend. Rashid lowered his head, his eyes dark and cloudy for a second, before he raised his head again, looking the young woman with sadness. Ishizu opened her mouth but didn't say anything.

"He was wearing a cap, and I couldn't see his face, but I...I heard his voice, and I think..." He halted to cough hastily, Ishizu holding his hands in hers for the support, looking at him pleadingly. Rashid took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes, nodding slightly.

"I think it was him," he whispered and Ishizu stiffened a scream, gritting her teeth and lowering her head, her fists clenched. Rashid started coughing again, and the medics started pulling him away. Ishizu turned around to look at him, eyes full of tears and desperation.

"I'll come and visit you!" She yelled after him, when insp. Muhadda approached her, eyeing her with dark, obsidian eyes.

"You will have to give us your statement," he exclaimed, and Ishizu stared at him blankly for a while before nodding. Insp. Muhadda ordered his men to start working and they invaded the whole office, making everyone step outside. 

"Are you okay?" Yuugi asked the dark haired woman and she nodded, all grief and pain hidden expertly in her.

"Come, we'll take you home," Solomon nodded, but she shook her head defiantly.

"No, I'm staying here," she replied, stoically looking around the messy rooms. Solomon put his hands on her shoulders.

"Ishizu, you're exhausted and you should rest, and-"

"Thank you, Solomon, really," she cut him off, pulling his hands off her shoulders, placing a stubborn look on her face, "but I'm still staying here. I've got so much to do...you go, have a rest, I'll call you tomorrow." 

Nobody could utter a single word anymore because with that she went back to the office, greeting the inspector once again and closing the doors behind her.

Tea sighed, feeling sorry for the young woman and Mai let out a 'hmm'. Yuugi glanced at his grandpa who had a worried expression written all over his face, his head lowered.

"Grandpa, we should go," Yuugi commented and Solomon turned to look at him, nodding faintly. The little group of people suddenly looked so tired and drained that they couldn't wait to get back to the hotel to get some sleep.

Still shocked with the evening's happenings and a pale looking Rashid, Mai stumbled a bit across the carpet, and Joey quickly grabbed her hand, preventing her from falling down. She mumbled something incoherent, wanting nothing more than to lie down and fall asleep.

They stumbled out of the museum, police cars still parked in front of it, and Tristan whistled to a two bypassing taxis. They squeezed inside, every thought of sleep welcome.

Ishizu was talking to inspector, replying on every question like a zombie. The standard questions and answers were flowing out of her, although her thoughts were somewhere far away in the past.

'Marik,' she thought, 'why are you doing this?'

**AN:**

**Thanks for the reviews, although I'd be happy to receive more of them. Anyway, I'm glad some of you like my story...**

**So much for this chapter. Tell me what you think.**

**Bye now!**

**A.S.A**


	5. Mistake

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...*sigh* Otherwise, I'd probably be living in Japan and having the time of my life.

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter IV – Mistake**

-by Alena S. Anigor

Ishizu hated lying; something she was doing at the moment. Inspector Muhadda was casually scribbling down his notes on the piece of paper, nonchalantly observing the office, that was in a complete mess.

Ishizu hugged herself with her hands, rubbing her upper arms in a comforting manner, hoping that it would keep her composed.

Inspector Muhadda nodded one last time, and then ordered his men to get out. He looked at the dark haired woman and then pointed at her with his notebook.

"If you think something's missing, or if you find anything we overlooked, notify us please," his voice, low and gruff echoed trough the room, and Ishizu nodded understandingly. Inspector Muhadda took the final glance at her, and then disappeared behind the doors, leaving Ishizu to stand in the middle of the office alone. 

She sighed inwardly when the footsteps died down, and her shoulders slumped, her hands still enveloped around her arms. She turned her head to look at the desk, noticing that the computer was still in one piece. She approached the desk slowly, grabbing the chair on the floor, and pulling it up to sit on it. She put her elbows on the desk, rubbing her temples with her fingers. She could already sense a headache coming on, and she groaned slightly, covering her eyes with her hands, sitting like a statue for a moment, all alone in her office. A few moments passed, until she composed her thoughts and pushed her anger and anguish aside. She stood up, glancing at her watch, and then sighed, deciding to start cleaning the mess all by herself.

She almost groaned when she remembered that her office wasn't the only room that looked like it was wiped out by a giant sandstorm.

Two taxis stopped in front of the Oasis Hotel, and a crowd of people stepped out, tiredness written all over their faces. Tristan and Joey said something to the taxi drivers and they nodded. Tristan paid them and the sound of the engines roaring filled the parking place, before the cars were gone. The streets were still full of people, cars bustling around, and gipsy like music heard from every corner of the street. Mai had enough of it, and she headed first to the hotel entrance. Tea yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth, while the younger Mutou was busy assuring his grandfather that Ishizu was all right.

Solomon was still worried for the young woman, and he still had a nagging feeling about the whole situation. Joey and Tristan lead them to the entrance where the girls were waiting for them. Mai wasn't in the mood for chatting with anyone, so she simply asked for the key and headed upstairs. Tea followed behind, a drained expression on her face.

"Well, we'll be going now," Joey notified and Yuugi nodded, heading after the two girls. Solomon was left to stand by the Egyptian boys, staring at the floor in thoughts. Joey raised an eyebrow and leaned slightly down to see if the older Mutou hadn't fallen asleep. Solomon jerked his head up suddenly, and looked at them with determination in his eyes.

"Joey, Tristan, we're going to help her first thing in the morning," he said and the boys were silent for a while, slightly surprised with the sudden change in the old man's behavior. They nodded, never – the less and Solomon cracked a sad smile, before he left them and headed upstairs. Joey and Tristan were watching him from below for a while, before Joey sighed, glancing at his watch. Tristan's expression darkened, and he turned to his best friend.

"What do you think happened there?" He asked, and Joey's facial expression darkened as well. He frowned, eyes hidden with a mop of blond hair.

"I don't know, but if I ever catch him, I'll make him pay," he replied grimly, and Tristan nodded his agreement. The boys left the hotel, replying half – heartedly to the receptionist's greeting, and headed down the stone stairs, both eager to hit their beds and have a good night sleep.

They didn't notice the figure standing in the shadows behind the corner; dark eyes following and watching their every move.

Marik wasn't a very patient person; on the contrary – he was very impulsive and hot - headed, but not as much as Bakura was at the moment. The white haired thief was pacing across the room, barking at everyone who dared to make a remark at the failed heist. His fists were clenched, and he growled every now and then, sending death glares to everyone around him, Marik especially. 

Bakura blamed him the most for preventing him from stabbing the old man until his final breath. He didn't understand why he stopped him when they had such a good opportunity to finish the job to the end. He sent the blond Egyptian one final glare, on which he lowered his gaze to the floor.

Bakura pointed his finger at him, threat evident in his eyes. Marik raised his head, looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"You," Bakura choke out, gritting his teeth, "I save your life, I take you in, and you fail me like that! Why?" he roared, making the other thieves around them back away, some of them already on their way out of their hiding place. Marik lowered his head again; he knew very well that he'd be dead by now if Bakura hadn't found him on that faithful night, wind blowing around the desert, making his hair and eyes full of sand. He was hungry, thirsty and half dead, and his legs gave away to his body, making him fall to the soft sand with a thud. He already thought he _was_ dead, left to the mercy of the desert animals, getting ready to get stabbed by a scorpion or get eaten by a jackal. But instead, a hand pulled him up, dark orbs staring at him with interest, offering him water...

"I'm sorry, Bakura...it won't happen again," he mumbled, head lowered, and Bakura sneered, crossing his arms over his chest angrily.

"Good for you," he replied gruffly, glaring at him, and then sighing in irritation. He scanned the rest of his little gang of thieves, and they paid attention to him, all of them being afraid of the greatest thief of the desert. Bakura uncrossed his hands, looking at one of them with interest and the young boy gulped audibly.

"Did you get it?" He asked, and the boy stepped forward, reaching into the depths of his robes to offer him a little clothed sack with something chinking in it. Bakura smirked, taking the sack from the boy and opening it. He counted the amount of money inside, and then let out a satisfied 'hmph' before letting the coins fall to his palm, and giving the sack back to the boy.

"Not bad, kid," he commented, eyeing the boy with a mischievous grin. The boy, who wasn't probably older than fourteen, smiled slightly, glad that he could make the notorious thief satisfied.

"Now leave us alone," he added, and the little crowd of people scurried out of the poorly dimmed room, obliging the command from their leader. The doors closed, leaving only Bakura and Marik in the room.

Bakura was silent for a while, before he turned to look at his partner who was looking at him with curiosity. Bakura's eyes revealed a significant plan, and Marik's violet orbs widened slightly when he realized what that plan might be.

"Don't tell me you want to go there again?" He asked him, perplexed. Bakura's mouth formed his trade - mark smirk, and he crossed his arms across his chest. Marik was looking at him like he had grown another head, staring at him in disbelief.

"Are you insane? With the stunt we performed yesterday, the police is all over the place!" He retorted, his voice rising to an almost high – pitched screech. Bakura chuckled slightly, letting his bangs shadow his eyes for a while, before speaking his mind.

"Don't worry Marik, I have a good plan this time...and I _will_ get that bust."

The large room, decorated with the golden statues of ancient Egyptian gods was full, crowded with people, all of them dressed up in cloaks, kneeling in front of the throne which was taken by an equally cloaked person, his face shadowed with a hood. Only a pair of two emerald and menacing eyes were noticeable in the darkness around him, as he spoke, his voice hollow and echoing.

"I know now who they are," he voiced, his eyes widening a bit, making all the men in the room do the same, their eyes shining with a golden light for a second, "and now you know who they are as well." He added, crossing his leg over the other one.

"I expect you to do only one thing with them," he said again, the corner of his lips revealing a snarl.

"Kill them."

"Yes, Ancient One," dozens of voices roared in perfect unison, and the figures stood up, lead by one tall man, who turned one last time to bow to the man on the throne, before he headed towards the doors, leading the rest of them to their goals.

The next day was spent in cleaning. The little group of people, among other coworkers of Ishizu gathered at the museum, helping with putting the things back in order. Mai grumbled a bit at first, hating the thought of carrying 'filthy stupid statues' around the museum, but she had no choice after everyone gave her a dirty look. The museum was closed for the day, and when Ishizu came back from the hospital Rashid was placed in, she seemed out of breath. 

Yuugi, who was currently in the process of sorting out some old papyruses, wanted to ask her if everything was all right, but she stormed so quickly past him that he didn't have a chance to utter a word.

She opened the doors of her office, finding Tea inside. The brown – haired girl shrieked a bit, startled with the force the doors were opened. Ishizu didn't say anything; Tea had to back away so she could gain access to the lower drawer. She snatched the key from her purse, and opening the drawer, she took the wooden box, putting the key into the lock and unlocking it. The lock made a clicking sound and Ishizu opened the box, sighing in relief when she saw its content. Tea leaned a bit forward to see what caused such a commotion and gasped a bit when she saw the bust inside the box.

"The Second Soul," she whispered and Ishizu seemed to acknowledge her presence then. She nodded, carefully taking the bust out, eyeing it intently.

"So..." Tea began, watching the bust in Ishizu's hands, "that was the thing they were after?"

Ishizu nodded again, her face darkening and her eyes narrowing in confusion. "I don't know why...what could they do with it?"

Tea rolled her eyes aside, observing the wall of the office then glancing back at the bust.

"Because it's very worthy?" She asked, on which Ishizu shook her head absentmindedly. 

"There are other things that are equally worthy in this museum, but they left everything else...they wanted the bust, Tea," she replied, putting the bust back into the box and locking it. 

"Rashid gave me the key today," she continued, taking the box into her hands again, "saying the bust is in the drawer."

"How is he?" Tea asked and Ishizu turned to look at her for the first time today. Her expression saddened slightly, her eyes solemn.

"He's fine, but...the doctor said that whoever stabbed him, managed to stab a nerve of some kind of in his shoulder," she spoke, Tea listening intently, "he won't be able to move his left hand for a while."

"Poor Rashid," Solomon spoke from the doors and both women turned to look at the Mutous, Joey and Tristan who were watching her sadly, and at Mai, who was still holding a funny looking pot in her hands.

"He'll be fine, I know him," Ishizu said with a smile, and then took the bust with her, "I have to put this somewhere safe." With that, she left the room, and vanished down the corridor. Solomon sighed dejectedly, staring at the floor solemnly.

"Poor girl," he commented, "after so much trouble, she finally finds what she was looking for, and now there's trouble again." 

Silence followed after that as everyone stared at the floor, lost in their own thoughts.

"So, what am I supposed to do with this?" Mai broke the dead silence, raising her hand with the pot in it, and looking at everyone with a deadpanned expression. Tea just shook her head.

The rest of the day was spent in sorting the artifacts out, and cleaning the hall. Mai and Tea were in charge of the artifacts, while the boys were busy with dusting the hall and carrying the garbage out.

The night came quickly, and they were still busy with the cleaning. Mai stood in the middle of the corridor, leaning backwards only to feel the bones in her back cracking. She cringed, feeling the numbness in her muscles. Tea was finished with sorting out the artifacts, and she sighed heavily, putting the last bowl on its place. She turned to look at Mai who was twisting her waist into all directions, trying to return the feeling of having a spine.

Ishizu entered the room, looking at them expectantly, and the girls smiled at her.

"All done?" Need a help?" She asked, and the girls shook their heads.

"We're done, thank you," Tea replied, glancing around the room.

"Yeah, finally," Mai muttered, and Ishizu smiled slightly, apologizing for the inconvenience. Tea shook her head and smiled back, while Mai plastered a forced polite smile, patting her camera nervously around her neck. They stepped outside to see the corridor neatly cleaned, and the hall looking decently like the night before. Solomon was mimicking Mai's poses, trying to bring his bones back to life, while the boys let out a mutual sigh, finally glad that it was all over.

Ishizu felt a bit guilty for making them clean her museum for her, but she was happy non – the less to have such good friends who volunteered to help her without a second thought. She wished she could simply hug them all out of gratitude, but she dismissed that thought, telling herself that it would only make them feel awkward. 

"I'm tiirrred..." Mai mumbled, rubbing her eyes. Yuugi stiffened a yawn, but Joey couldn't. Ishizu thanked them all for helping her out, and although Rashid was in the hospital and the bust was almost stolen, she still felt content and happy. She thanked them one more time as they were all walking towards the entrance doors. Although they were all tired, they smiled at her, Tristan making jokes about Joey's attempts to balance a staff, a box full of garbage and a plate on his head at the same time. The result was a pile of garbage on the floor, a broken plate and the staff somehow managed to mingle between his legs so he ended up on that same pile of papers, napkins and dust. Mai couldn't stop laughing which started to irritate the young Egyptian and he growled inwardly, casting murderous glances in Tristan's direction.

Ishizu stopped suddenly in the mid - step, her mouth agape. She resisted the urge to smack her forehead and looked at the group of people who were looking at her with raised eyebrows.

Ishizu smiled uneasily, and then sighed.

"Something wrong?" Yuugi asked, voicing his grandfather's thoughts. Ishizu waved her hand slightly, looking at the closed doors of the museum.

"No, no, I just forgot about the files," she replied, slightly exasperated.

"What files? We cleaned everything," Joey commented, scratching the back of his head. Ishizu shook her head, already fishing trough her purse.

"No, I meant computer files," she mumbled, tumbling trough her purse, "I still have to sort them, and I completely forgot all about them." She added, sighing when she finally found the keys and headed up the stairs.

"You're going to sort them out? Now?" Solomon asked, becoming a bit annoyed with the young woman's stubbornness and dedication. Ishizu turned around, and smiled apologetically.

"I'm afraid I have to, there are so many of them left..." she trailed off, staring at the night sky and at the moon.

Tea felt sorry for the young woman; she partially knew how it was to be alone and depend only on yourself.

"I'll stay with you, and help you then." She said, making Ishizu shake her head and Mai stare at her in wonder.

"Are you insane?" she whispered to her friend, but Tea was determined to help her. 

"Really, Tea, you should go back to the ho-"

"No, I'll help you," she replied sternly, "end of discussion." The look in her cerulean orbs matched the one of Ishizu and the dark – haired girl sighed in defeat.

"But it's late and-" 

"So we better hurry," Tea winked, dragging her up the stairs, "the sooner we're finished, the better." She added, and waved her friends to go on without her. Ishizu was speechless for a moment, before thanking her silently. Tea just shook her head and smiled at her. The doors of the museum closed, and the lights switched on, illuminating the corridor.

"I don't believe this," Mai muttered, and then headed down the stairs to catch up with the rest of them.

Two shadows sneaked behind the wall, and then disappeared into the dark alley behind the museum.

"I really appreciate your help, Tea," Ishizu said softly, searching trough the data on the computer. Tea smiled, putting the hands behind her back and leaning closer to look at the screen.

"No problem, I'm interested in all sorts of ancient Egyptian stuff, and I'd really like to know more about the legend," she replied, and Ishizu nodded, clicking every now and then on the mouse.

Tea grabbed a chair from the next room and dragged it across the corridor to the room that was crowded with all sorts of folders and files on the shelves. She took one of them and opened the first page, looking trough the photos and descriptions. She couldn't read the letters since they were all Arabic, but she marveled in the photos of the ancient pyramids.

Ishizu craned her neck aside and grimaced when she heard the bones cracking. Tea also heard the disturbing sound, and closed the folder, putting it back to the shelf.

"Let me do that," she approached her and shoved her off the chair with a smile, "you just tell what to do to." Ishizu was staring at the girl in wonder, blinking a few times, before she shook her head and smiled.

"Okay, you see those there?" she asked, pointing at the files on the screen while Tea nodded, "sort them alphabetically."

"Okay," Tea replied, enthusiastically crossing the fingers of her hands and then straightening them forward, earning cracking sounds in return, "then you'll tell me about the legend."

"Agreed," Ishizu smiled and then an idea crossed her mind.

"You know what? I'll go and make us some coffee," she said, opening then doors and stepping outside. Tea continued on typing, eyeing the screen carefully.

"Thanks, we'll be needing that," she replied, rubbing her eyes a bit, before paying attention to the monitor. She could hear Ishizu's footsteps echoing down the corridor until they quieted down completely. She was looking at some theories concerning the queen Neferti before she copied the data to another document in alphabetical order.

She failed to hear whispers behind her, having her attention fully on the monitor, her eyes glued to the screen and ancient pharaohs.

"Her?" Marik hissed quietly to Bakura, who barely suppressed the urge to throw him outside the backdoor they just sneaked trough.

"She'll be useful," he hissed back, already pulling out the knife from the depths of his robes. Quietly, he left Marik to look out for the other woman, while he stepped into the room, intently observing the brown – haired girl who hadn't noticed him at all.

The knife was in his hand, light reflecting the metal a bit. He tiptoed to the middle of the room then decided to approach her as quickly as possible.

When Tea finally noticed a strange figure reflecting in the monitor, it was already too late. She couldn't even turn around to see who it was when the person grabbed her shoulder, enveloping her chest with his free hand, while the other hand pressed the knife to her throat. The edge of the blade was pressed roughly against her skin and she was afraid to move. The cold metal sent shivers down her spine, and her eyes widened in fear, her body completely in shock and immobile. She could only grip the end of the desk tightly, staring at the figure's reflection on the screen.

Then, the figure leaned down a bit, and whitish bangs brushed past her cheek, rough and raspy voice whispering only one warning into her ear.

"Be quiet, and you shall live."


	6. In the dark

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...it's a sad story, really...

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter V – In the dark**

-by Alena S. Anigor

The room was poorly illuminated by the lights; the only real light coming from the computer, a whizzing sound emitting from it. The screen was barely noticeable, since two figures blocked the view to it. The third figure leaned in a bit to see what the other was doing and then frowned slightly, seeing how the knife glistened slightly.

Tea Gardner was afraid to move; heck, she was even afraid to breathe. Her choke got stuck in her throat, as the figure behind her, currently holding her life in his hands, leaned down slightly to observe the girl better.

Bakura almost smirked, noticing wide and bright cerulean orbs staring at the screen then at him. He chuckled lightly, making the girl swallow a bit. 

"Now, you be a good girl and do as I tell you," he ordered, nudging her shoulder slightly with his hand, and instructing her to get up.

"Bakura, you are actually _taking_ her with us?" Marik hissed from behind, eyeing the corridor and the white haired thief simultaneously. Bakura turned around to glare at his companion; sharply lowering the girl back to the chair and she winced slightly. The grip the white haired intruder had on her arm was very tight and almost painful now. She heard him saying something on Arabic, but she couldn't understand a word he was saying. Her eyes were glued to the screen where she watched numbly one little single line blinking on the white screen and on the imaginary paper. An idea crossed her mind, and she wondered briefly how was she even capable of thinking straight in a situation like this. She glanced at the young man beside her who was currently in some kind of a quarrel with the other voice from across the room. Apparently, the man was not alone, and she knew she couldn't fight them both...especially if the other one also had a nifty dagger to stab her with. 

Carefully, she lifted her right hand, the one that was still free to move and looked at the keyboard in front of her. She placed her finger on the letter 'h' and slowly pressed the key with her finger. The letters 'e', 'l' and 'p' followed, and she sighed inwardly for managing to do at least something. She looked at the thief from the corner of her eyes and saw that he was still arguing with the other person.

"Fine, take her if that's your ingenious plan, then!" Marik hissed his final disagreement, before Bakura glared at him one last time and then redirected his eyes to the girl at his side. She closed her eyes, wincing a bit and he noticed that he forgot about the knife in his hands while arguing with Marik and that that same knife went a bit too deep into the girl's skin. He loosened the pressure of the blade a bit and then grabbed her by the hand, yanking her from the chair, and pulling her up to stand in front of him. He wasn't much taller than her but he could still place his chin on top of her head and lean down a bit to her ear.

"Walk and be quiet," he ordered sharply, "and you won't get hurt." 

Tea understood him this time and he placed an arm around her waist to guide her trough the room. Now she could see the other person and wasn't very surprised to see another young sandy haired Egyptian standing by the doors and guarding the corridor.

"W-what do you want from me?" She gathered some courage to ask her kidnaper, and he snickered, glancing down at her, as he pressed the knife against her skin a bit more again and she raised her head, trying to avoid the sharp blade of it.

"Let's say we're going to do a little exchange here," he replied, smirking evilly at her and making her gulp. "Your life for the bust.

"T-the b-bust?" She choked out again, stumbling a bit when she almost hit the doors with her feet. The thief nodded and let out a chuckle.

"That's right," he added, leaving Marik behind to check if another woman was on her way, "I'm sure your friends would do anything to save your pathetic life."

Tea frowned on that statement, knowing very well that Yuugi and Mai would do anything to save her. But as long as she was with those two, her life was hanging on a thin line and she decided to play along; there was nothing else she could do anyway.

Bakura directed her towards the backdoors they sneaked trough after Marik used his lock picking skills to open them. He followed behind, turning every now and then to look for any sign of the black haired woman. Bakura opened the doors with his foot and then pushed Tea outside, stumbling a bit after she almost fell across one of the steps.

"No tricks, girl," he hissed, tightening his grip on her, and Tea nodded sharply, feeling the pain surge trough her left arm. The sharp metallic blade pressed against her neck wasn't helping either, but at least it wasn't used to make further damage to her health...yet.

Marik stepped outside, carefully closing the doors behind him and then turning his attention to the thief and the girl in his lethal embrace. He shook his head then went ahead. Bakura let go of the girl, steadying her with his arm, and then reached into the depths of his shirt to grab a little white cloth. Tea watched intently what he was doing before it dawned to her that his intention were to make her mouth shut. Her eyes widened and she wanted to protest but the cloth was already in her mouth, and Tea felt a sudden impulse to vomit when she registered the bitter and disgusting taste of the cloth shoved into her mouth. She wanted to spit it out, but Bakura warned her not to do that with one single twist of his arm, and she cried out, her scream muffled by the cloth. She didn't even manage to get over the pain when she was suddenly being pulled up and thrown over the thief's shoulder. He chuckled at her meek protests, her fists being unable to do him much harm, and she was now hanging from his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She was jerking violently in his grip until Bakura had enough and let her off his shoulder so quickly that she almost fell backwards to the ground. He grabbed her by her neck and pulled her up to face him. His menacing dark orbs matched his vehement expression as he pulled her face up to his.

"If you want to live," he hissed, making his grip on her neck tighter and her eyes widened slightly, "behave! I'm not playing woman, and I'll get that bust with or without you participating in my plan!"

With that, he let her go and pulled her up over his shoulder again. This time, Tea made no attempts to fight, as her body hung loosely down his back, her hair billowing slightly over her face. She bit the cloth hard, despite its disgusting taste, tears threatening to fall from her cerulean orbs. That was supposed to be a nice vacation, and what happened? She got kidnapped, and all that because of the petty bust? She didn't understand why was everything revolving around that bust, but she hoped that the message she left on the screen wouldn't go unnoticed by Ishizu.

The coffee pot let out an ear - piercing whistle and Ishizu sighed in irritation, finally able to remove the pot from the stove. The water always got warm very slowly in that particular pot, but unfortunately, that was the only one she possessed. She sipped the dark dust called coffee into the pot, darkening the water and making her thicker with the brown substance. It took longer than usual for water to heat up and she hoped Tea hadn't fallen asleep in front of the screen by now. Pouring the coffee into the cups, she put them on a tray and lifted the tray from the sink. She made her way down the corridor, carefully balancing the tray in her hands, and sighed in relief when she saw the faint light coming from the open room at the end of the corridor. She turned to step into the room, observing the cups that were shaking slightly on the tray.

"I'm sorry it took so long but the wa-" then she stopped, noticing the empty chair in front of the computer and no Tea in sight.

"Tea?" she asked, approaching the desk and putting the tray down. She turned around carefully, a strange feeling suddenly overwhelming her. She wanted to go and see if she went to the bathroom, but she turned to the computer to see how far she came with the sorting. She could only see a white screen, but four lettered words written in large case definitely caught her attention. Ishizu's eyes widened in fear when she read the single word written on the white screen. She clasped her hand across her mouth, turning around quickly and running all the way down the corridor to the backdoor.

She opened the doors with ease, not realizing until now that she forgot the keys, but that wasn't really important now since the doors were unlocked. She stormed out, skipping down the stairs and then stopped when she found nothing but a dark and empty alley in front of her.

"TEA!"

Solomon wasn't very pleased when he was almost brutally awakened from his, already shallow sleep. The first thing that came into focus were the violet and wide orbs of his grandson, as he was still shaking him.

"Wake up already!" Yuugi yelled vehemently, and Solomon noticed then that his voice was almost shrill with excitement and that his eyes were wide in fear. He rose quickly, steadying the boy with his hands, and noticing Mai, Joey and Tristan standing in front of the door. They were all wearing equally worried and frightened expressions and Solomon frowned, the thought of something happening to Ishizu already crossing his mind.

"What happened to Ishizu?" he asked suddenly, his own voice now full of concern.

"I'm fine, but..." Ishizu appeared by the doors, wiping her eyes with her fingers. Solomon jerked his head towards her, somewhat relieved to see her, but the word 'but' stuck in his ears. He narrowed his eyes, looking at Mai and the Egyptian boys then at Ishizu and finally at his grandson standing by the bed.

"But?"

Ishizu let out a sob, Tristan hugging her and trying to comfort her. Mai was also in some kind of shock, as she simply stared at the floor, while Joey's fists were clenched, his brown eyes shadowed with his hair. Yuugi's eyes fell downwards, staring at his grandfather's hands before he dared to look at his face again. Solomon felt as if something or someone was missing and he scanned the room, noticing the glimpse of insp. Muhadda's mustaches behind Ishizu. Someone was missing...but who? The thought of a brown – haired girl came to his mind and he looked at Yuugi again, eyes boring into his questioningly.

"Where is Tea?"

Yuugi took a deep, shaky breath, fighting with his own fears and worry as he looked at the floor.

"She's kidnapped, grandpa."

The dark streets mingled underneath her eyes and Tea felt her blood rising to her head. She already felt nauseous from the sickening taste in her mouth, and tired of being carried around like she was a piece of wood. She tried to shift a bit, the tears already long gone because they were to no avail. The white haired man wouldn't let her go anyway until he got the bust. She wondered for a while what did those people want with it...why was it so important and so precious? Because of some long forgotten legend? 

Bakura turned around the corner again, sneaking trough the alleys, always avoiding the light and sticking to the shadows. Tea could hear another pair of footsteps from not so far away and presumed they belonged to the other young man who was with him. She looked below her, observing the stone like shapes of the street. She didn't know where they were going, but she prayed deep inside that it would be somewhere where she could actually sit or stand by herself. 

She thought of Yuugi and Mai for a second and wondered if Ishizu noticed her message and plea for help by now already. She certainly hoped so; otherwise, she didn't want to think of the possibilities if she was to stay here forever, or worse – if she was to die here. 

Bakura stopped suddenly, making her lash forward then back to her previous state.

She mumbled an 'ouch' but that was barely audible. She tried to turn her head aside to see the reason for such a sudden pit stop, but couldn't crane her neck enough to see anything. She could, however hear other footsteps around them and then she heard the voice of the other boy who accompanied the thief. She couldn't understand anything he said but according to the sound of his voice, something was definitely wrong.

Marik's eyes widened in horror when he suddenly saw a couple of men, all dressed up in cloaks appearing out of nowhere in front of him. He stepped back, too surprised and too shocked to do anything else. He turned to look at Bakura who narrowed his eyes into slits, observing the newcomers with a menacing glare. 

"Bakura! Who are they?" Marik asked, suddenly feeling awkwardly afraid and numb. 

Tea raised her head a bit when she heard footsteps in front of her now, too and her eyes widened in confusion when she spotted a couple of men, standing in front of her. Their faces couldn't be seen due to the hoods covering them, but they sure didn't look very friendly either. She gulped, feeling the muscles on Bakura's back tense. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she was sure that she didn't want to participate in some kind of street fight right now.

Bakura observed the men around him; Marik standing by his side, seeming frightened. He noticed that the men surrounded them now, and that they made a very dangerous trap around them. He almost forgot about the girl over his shoulders until she shifted a bit. He cursed inwardly; trying to come up with a plan to leave the girl unharmed and finish the rest of the imbeciles that dared to cross his path off.

Just when he wanted to put her down and order her to stay put, a figure stepped mysteriously out of the group of men, his cloak billowing slightly around him although there was no wind at all.

Bakura...? Marik whispered, backing away slightly from the figure. Bakura stared at the figure in wonder, somewhat confused with the fact that it all felt a bit too awkward to him. He was about to growl at them to get lost, when the figure interrupted him, pointing at him ominously and a hollow like voice filled the street.

Tea froze when she heard the voice, her blood running cold in her veins.

"The Ancient One wants you dead, Bakura."

**AN:**

**Thanks for the reviews and I hope you liked this chapter!"**

**Till the next one – bye!**

**A.S.A**


	7. Confrontations

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...I don't own nothing of it! Nothing, I'm telling you!

**The Legend of the three souls**

**Chapter VI – Confrontations **

-by Alena S. Anigor

The giant building, placed in the center of the city was standing proudly in the night. Lights were still on, creating an illusion of hundreds of little sparkling squares shining on the building. The top of the building was flat; a big letter 'H' painted on it, indicating that the top was built for the choppers landing.

The interior of the highest floor was magnificent; with chandeliers on the ceiling, expensive Persian carpets on the floor, and one giant video screen positioned on the big white wall.

The screen was on, letting the images flip non – stop, not matching the bored expression of the young boy sitting on the beige sofa, holding the remote in his hands and letting out sighs every now and then. The messy mop of dark hair turned to look at the wide wooden desk with one person sitting behind it, casually typing on his laptop.

"Seto...I'm bored," Mokuba Kaiba moaned, letting the remote fall to the sofa, and stretching his arms into the air. A pair of deep blue eyes turned their attention to the smaller boy then back to screen.

"Find something to entertain yourself," Seto Kaiba replied nonchalantly, "I've got work to do."

Mokuba sighed in irritation, turning his head to the screen, watching a man with a funny looking hat who was currently speaking words that he didn't understand. He flipped the channel again, deciding to watch some old kung fu movie instead.

The older Kaiba was busy with his current research, which included the ancient busts, called The three souls. As much as his brain was filled with various facts and information about Egyptian mythology, he has never heard of the busts and wanted to research a little deeper.

His fingers were flying smoothly over the keys of the laptop, the result being all kinds of articles and information about things that could be related to the busts.

Unfortunately for the young CEO, all he could find were some old papyrus scrolls about Tutankhamon and his busts and some images of various artifacts in worlds' museums. The search engine couldn't find one single page or article about the Three souls, and Kaiba frowned, growling slightly in irritation. He leaned back into his chair, staring at the blue screen with Kaiba Corporation logo on it. Mokuba was busy watching the movie, so Kaiba took opportunity to turn around and look out the huge window. All around him were tall buildings, some of them banks and companies. He sighed inwardly, observing his dim reflection in the spotless glass, his mind occupied with the fact that he wanted to possess those busts but didn't know why. Something was telling him they belonged to him like they were an inevitable part of him. He was staring out the window for a little while, before he decided to act. He got up suddenly, catching the attention of the younger Kaiba sibling and grabbed his trench coat from the chair. Mokuba raised a pair of questioning eyebrows, and hopped down from the sofa.

"Where are you going?" He asked and Kaiba took his suitcase from the desk.

"To the museum," he replied coolly and Mokuba frowned in confusion.

"The one we've been at today?" 

Kaiba nodded and Mokuba frowned again. He liked going to various places his brother was going, but some places were simply too boring for the vivid boy and the Museum of ancient artifacts was just that kind of place. But since he got nothing better to do, he shrugged and grabbed his jacked from the sofa.

"I'll go with you," he said, and Kaiba's eyes sharpened for a second. He shook his head firmly, making Mokuba stop fiddling with his jacket.

"No, you'll stay here, it's late already and it's time to go to bed," Kaiba replied, not bothering to cast a glance at his watch. Mokuba, however did and let out a childish squeak.

"What? But it's past ten! Nobody goes to sleep that early!"

Kaiba directed his mysterious eyes towards his brother, giving him another sharp look, and Mokuba frowned again.

"I told you I was bored, anyway..." He mumbled, looking at him pleadingly, and Kaiba let out a sigh, which announced that he was powerless when it came to Mokuba.

After one more moment of silent contemplating, he finally nodded, earning a genuine smile from the younger boy in front of him.

"Just stick to me and behave," Kaiba ordered and Mokuba nodded in agreement.

The hall they were walking trough was covered with a red carpet, walls decorated with various paintings and portraits. A few statues were also standing by each side of the hall and Mokuba always found pleasure in staring at the odd faces and expressions of the statues and trying to mimic them.

When they exited trough the large double doors at the end of the hall, a few men in black suits straightened immediately and one of them approached him.

But before he could muster a word, Kaiba interrupted him with a smooth motion of his hand, looking calm and reserved like always.

"There's no need to follow me, I'll do this by myself."

The man bowed with a slight confusion evident on his face and went back to his post. Kaiba continued down the hall with Mokuba tagging along.

The limousine was already waiting in front of the building, and the driver jumped hurriedly out of the car to open the doors for his master. Kaiba stepped in, carefully dragging his expensive briefcase inside and let Mokuba hop in after him. The driver closed the doors and went to the other side of the car to get inside as well.

The engine started humming and the limo slowly crawled to the exit in front of the building then continued down the road. The road wasn't so crowded with cars anymore, but it was still too early to not to be on the streets.

"Where to, sir?" The driver asked and looked at the young CEO trough the mirror in front of him. Kaiba was already typing on his laptop, not bothering to look at his driver.

"The Museum of Ancient artifacts," he replied, and the driver nodded, turning right at the next exit and then continued driving down the illuminated road that was still bustling with cars and people on bikes.

The atmosphere at the Museum was everything but cheerful and relaxed like it used to be. There was no telling who felt worse:

Ishizu, who let the robbers break into her Museum and kidnap Tea right in front of her nose, Joey and Tristan who regretted the decision to leave the girls alone in the Museum, Yuugi and Solomon who wished they could do something else than simply wait for Inspector Muhadda to come back with his men, or Mai, who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, already imagining all sorts of torturing Tea could be going trough at the moment. They were all sitting in the Main hall that was now clean, but that didn't help anyone feel better. Yuugi stared at the floor numbly, while Solomon mumbled something every now and then, although no one really paid attention to what he was saying.

Inspector Muhadda returned suddenly, peeping trough the curtain behind the stage and coughing slightly to draw their attention. Six heads turned to him simultaneously, and he couldn't even mutter one sentence when they all gathered around him like children around the ice cream man, asking all sorts of questions, and almost jumping at him.

"Silence, please!" He roared after one full minute of uselessly trying to calm down the agitated people around him. They all quieted down after his outburst, but that didn't stop them from asking questions again.

"What did you find?" Ishizu asked exasperatedly.

"Did you find anything at all?" Yuugi asked, silently questioning the abilities of Egyptian policemen.

"Did you find the one responsible for that?" Solomon was anxious to know who did it.

"What about Tea?" Mai was the only one who remembered that someone from their gang was actually kidnapped that night.

Inspector Muhadda sighed in irritation and raised his hands in defense.

"Would you please calm down?" He yelled again, silencing them for a moment, before Mai protested again.

"How can we calm down when our friend is probably being tortured as we speak?" She almost screeched at him, and he backed away a bit from the raging woman.

"Well, if you'd let me _speak_ for a minute, maybe I _would_ have the opportunity to answer all your questions!" He replied back, equally exasperated and agitated. Mai shut her mouth and waited together with the rest of them.

Insp. Muhadda sighed again and smoothed his mustaches. As much as he was ordered to be polite towards tourists and foreigners, those who were standing in front of him were drinking his blood out and draining his whole energy out of his body with their constant ramblings.

"Well, then," he started, casting glances at all of them and warning them to stay quiet, "my men are searching the museum and it's surrounding, but until now, they managed to find nothing –"

"I knew it!" Yuugi interrupted him with an angry bark that startled all of them. Insp. Muhadda frowned and was tempted to shake the young man until he'd shut his mouth and listen to him till the end.

"_But_," he continued, scanning them all with a heavy frown, "they are working on it!" He finished and raised his head high.

"We are doing everything we can to find your missing friend," he added on which Mai snorted and earned a dirty look from Muhadda.

Just when Solomon was ready to suggest that they should look for her on their own, there was a commotion outside the hall, and they turned around to see a few policemen standing behind a very tall young man who looked like he could kill them all with his eyes. 

"I don't care what happened here, now get out of my way!" He roared with a hint of coldness and sharpness in his voice. He pulled a small hand out of the crowd of policemen and they could all see a mop of dark hair and a pair of angry eyes staring at the policemen as well.

"Seto Kaiba?" Ishizu asked hesitantly, surprised to see him in this time of night. He turned his attention to a little group of people in front of him and frowned.

"Would you please take these gorillas off my back?" He looked at Insp. Muhadda and he was slightly taken aback but then composed himself and ordered his men to retrieve. They nodded, casting poisonous looks into Kaiba's direction and then left, mumbling something on Arabic.

Silence followed, in which the CEO and his younger sibling were simply staring at the group of people in front of them and vice versa. Ishizu composed her thoughts and her nerves and stepped out of the group.

"May I help you, Mr. Kaiba?" She asked politely as much as she could, but her demeanor revealed her stressed emotions.

Kaiba glanced at every one of them, and then turned his eyes back to the dark haired woman in the middle of the hall.

"I'm here to make an offer," he replied coolly, looking intently at her and Ishizu had to raise her eyebrows. She looked at the people behind her first as if searching for a reassurance that she heard him right. She turned back and looked at the CEO again.

"An offer?" she asked him, slightly puzzled by his sudden proposal in the time like this. She presumed he didn't know what really happened.

"Yes," he replied smoothly in a business tone, raising his briefcase and putting it down onto on of the tables in the hall.

"I'm here to buy the bust," he added, earning surprised expressions in return and hearing whispers from behind Ishizu, "you name the price."

Ishizu, who was left perplexed now, simply stared at him in disbelief and was trying to find the adequate words to say in return. After a few moments spent in silence that could be cut with a knife, she blinked and coughed, gaining back her ability to speak. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba, but the bust is not for sale," she retorted coldly and Kaiba's eyes narrowed slightly. A slight smirk played at the corner of his lips and he chuckled slightly. Mokuba was watching the conversation in awe, his mouth slightly agape. This Museum wasn't such a boring place after all.

"Maybe you haven't heard me right," Kaiba replied, piercing her eyes with his icy ones, "I said, I'll buy the bust and you name the price...any price."

Joey was already prepared to step into the conversation and offer the arrogant jerk his own piece of mind, when Ishizu stopped him with a soft motion of her hand. Her face darkened slightly now, and she was frowning.

"And I believe you haven't heard _me_ right, Seto Kaiba," she said, her eyes piercing his now like a razor, deliberately letting out the title _Mr._ out of her words, "when I said the bust is not for sale." She finished, crossing her arms, and breathing deeply. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to just show up here after all what happened and demand from her to sell him the most valuable thing she possessed in this Museum and take years and months of her hard work away.

Kaiba looked like his face would shatter; his jaw was set tightly and he was gritting his teeth behind his lips formed into a thin line. His icy stare was replaced by a very unusual shade of blue color that resembled a stormy ocean now. Mokuba was left speechless, watching the conversation between the two people like a tennis match.

Joey and Tristan were ready to kick him out if necessary, Yuugi and Solomon were looking at him with a look of sheer disgust and despise, while Mai was still tempted to offer him an interview, but due to the circumstances, she thought it would be inappropriate so she gave up.

Insp. Muhadda was the only one who was observing the whole conversation with an interest; he heard stories about the famous Seto Kaiba, and now he had the opportunity to see if they were true.

They were.

Kaiba's jaw loosened a bit, and he let out a sigh inwardly. He closed his eyes, obviously trying to concentrate to stay calm and composed. No one, absolutely no one has ever rejected his offer like that...and he was ready to pay a fortune to get that bust. Ishizu stood stubbornly in front of him with her hands still crossed, waiting for his next move.

Just then, one feminine voice was heard from the hall that made Joey's eyes widen.

"Serenity!" He yelled, and ran past Ishizu and past Mokuba who turned his head, intrigued by the voice from the corridor. They all heard a rustle coming from the corridor, and Joey's growls to let go of his sister. After a few minutes in which no one dared to move or say a word, Joey came back, leading his sister by her hand. The brown haired girl was slightly scared and excited, but she looked fine. She almost gasped when she saw Kaiba standing at the doorway and he turned to look at another newcomer to the museum. Joey dragged her away as far as possible from the _arrogant bastard_ and introduced her to the rest of the group who didn't know her.

"Are you all right?" Solomon asked the young woman, when he noticed how pale she was. She nodded; blinking tears from her brownish eyes and smiled.

"I thought something happened to Joey," she exclaimed and Joey grinned for a second, patting her on the back.

Kaiba crossed his hands, not knowing what to do for the first time in his life since he became a powerful CEO of the software company that was known to the whole world.

Ishizu was still frowning at him, and Kaiba had to admit defeat...for now. He grabbed the briefcase from the table, and squeezed it in his hand. Before he turned around to leave, he sent the last glare in Ishizu's direction and frowned.

"I suggest you think about my proposition one more time," he said, coldly observing the frown that deepened on the young woman's face, "because be assured," he stopped, glaring at her and at the rest of them, "I want that bust, and I _always _get what I want."

With that, he turned around dramatically letting his trench coat billowing behind him. Mokuba turned to look at the crowd with confusion and not knowing what else to do, just smiled, shrugged and ran after his brother.

Ishizu let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"What a creep," Yuugi commented, and Solomon nodded. Mai was actually reconsidering the thought to interview him, thinking how he'd probably shrug her away with words she's not worthy of his time.

"And what are you doing here, huh?" Joey asked Serenity, turning her to look at her to see if she was hurt by any chance. She smiled sweetly, looking at Tristan who blushed slightly and quickly turned his head to cover it, then back at her older brother.

"I had to see if you were okay," she replied softly and smiled again. Joey grinned back and hugged her.

"Of course I'm okay!" He exclaimed enthusiastically. "Your big brother can take care of himself!"

"Then..." Serenity parted from him looking around worriedly, "what happened?"

Solomon sighed deeply and shook his head. Ishizu bent slightly and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Someone tried to rob the museum this night and unfortunately, they kidnapped a friend of hours," she explained with a tension in her voice and Serenity gasped, putting a hand over her mouth.

"That's terrible!" she commented, "Who could've done such a thing?"

Bakura was getting slightly worried now; the crowd of cloaked men was dangerously encircling them, Marik was equally frightened and the girl who was still motionlessly lying on the ground beside him with a cloth in her mouth was starting to shake.

Tea was on the verge of crying in fear already; she was praying that this was only a bad dream, but somehow that theory didn't sound convincing to her at all. She was watching the shadows of cloaks and hoods approaching them very quickly and she knew she was going to die. The thieves weren't looking so strong; the blond one was frightened to death, while the white haired one was also looking worried and slightly agitated. And what were those men saying, what kind of Ancient One, why did they want the white haired thief dead? That only meant that they were going to kill her as well, and Tea prayed deep inside for a miracle to happen.

The cloaked figure that looked like a leader, pointed a finger at Bakura and one of them who was very close to him stretched his ghostly hands towards him to grab him by the neck.

"Bakura!" Marik screamed, but Bakura already dodged the hands by leaning back, turned to side quickly and landed a fist into the figure's stomach. The cloaked figure let out a blood - chilling howl, but Bakura didn't waste his time and he raised his right leg, kicking him over his hunched back. The figure dropped to the street with a thud, but that didn't stop others from trying their luck. The leader was standing behind, as the herd of cloaked figures leaped forward to get him. Bakura snatched his knife from the depths of his robes and the figures stepped back slightly to avoid the sharp blade. Bakura turned around to look at Marik and barked at him to do the same. The blond haired thief snapped out of him stupor and had his dagger in his hands in a second. 

The figures were mumbling something, ghostly hands approaching them again, their cloaks billowing behind them. Tea realized in horror that they were floating a few inches over the ground, and almost screamed in fright. The thing was – she couldn't even do that; all of her voice got stuck in her throat.

The leader ordered his minions to attack and a few of them leaped at Bakura, who swung with his long knife, making a few of them inch back again.

"Fools!" The leader growled, and they tried again, obviously afraid of their leader. Marik stepped next to Bakura, raising his dagger into the air. Bakura cast a quick glance at the girl who was helplessly watching the whole scene in front of her. He growled in anger, and slashed towards one of them who got too close.

"Enough!" the leader obviously lost his patience and with one swift movement of his hand, the knife and the dagger simply slipped away from the hands of the thieves and they were left stunned and shocked.

"Now," the cloaked figure ordered, still floating over the ground much higher than his minions, "kill them!"

The figures howled their obedience and went straight at them both, not paying attention where they were hitting. One pair of hands grabbed Bakura's while other pair of hands grabbed him by the waist. Others were having Marik pushed against the wall, holding him by the neck, and making him trying to wiggle out of their grasp. One of the figures noticed Tea lying on the floor. She wanted to scream, to get up and run, but she felt immobile and her limbs were completely numb. A pair of hands flied towards her and she closed her eyes, expecting the worse. 

Bakura saw the figure approaching the girl and he started wiggling, too to get out of the tight grasp of ghostly hands.

"Don't you dare to touch her!" He growled, and jerked his hand so violently that the figure let it go. He used the figure as a back up, and leaning backwards, he raised his legs and kicked both of the figures who were holding him in the chest. They stumbled backwards and Bakura scurried quickly towards the girl and the figure whose hands were inches away from her neck. He intercepted the figure's attempts and grabbing the edges of the hood, he managed to grab the head of the figure and in one single movement, he twisted the head in the other direction and something snapped. Tea's eyes widened in sheer horror, when she realized that he broke his neck without a single thought. The figure fell down to the stone covered street with a thud. Bakura turned to see where Marik was standing but he found himself suddenly thrown on the street, with one figure latching onto him and the other approaching him quickly. He managed to kick the latching figure away, and quickly got up, but the other one already had him pinned against the wall, holding him by the neck and trying to strangle him.

Bakura had trouble breathing, just like Marik, who managed to push one of them away, but the other one was still holding his neck in a tight grip. He was trying to pry his hands off, but they were like cuffs around his skin.

He growled slightly, trying to call Bakura's name, but lacked the breath to do that.

Not baring the thought of watching those figures torture them anymore, Tea spat the cloth out of her mouth, and managed to find a bigger stone by the wall. She got up, a sudden boldness overwhelming her, and grabbing the stone, she ran to the figure, who was holding Bakura and swung the stone at his head. The stone hit its goal and the fingers around Bakura's neck loosened. Not wasting his time, he bawled his fist and hit the figure in the stomach. It hunched in pain, and Bakura used that to send one knee where the figure's face should be. The cloaked man was sent flying backwards, and landed several feet away from them. Tea stared at him, and he stared back at her for a second, before grabbing her by the hand, and backing her against the wall, ordered her to stay where she was.

Tea was left speechless for a second; she expected a thank you, or something similar to that, not a gruff response he gave her.

Bakura turned again and barely managed to avoid the punch that was meant for his head. He turned aside, and grabbing the hand that aimed at him, twisted it, and the figure yelped in pain. He twisted the hand further, turning the figure around and when it had its back turned to him, he kicked it with his leg, sending it flying again. 

The leader was obviously not satisfied with the result of his actions. He didn't expect such a resistance from the thief, but he also wasn't surprised with it, either. He turned his head to the other one, who was still having trouble with releasing himself from the steel like grip of a cloaked figure. Bakura was still preoccupied with breaking the bones in one of the figures.

The leader remembered what he saw; the blond one was apparently very close to Bakura...he might use that as an advantage. Whispering something to himself, but also to the figure holding Marik, who hearing the orders, gripped tighter, making Marik loose his remaining strength, and making him fall over the figure's cloak. He floated away from the wall, still carrying the limp body of a sandy – haired Egyptian.

He floated to the leader, and he whispered something again. The remained figure, who was still fighting Bakura stopped, and floated away, leaving Bakura swinging his fist into the air. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Marik hanging loosely from the figure's shoulder.

"Marik!" He screamed, but the leader raised his hand, and swooshing of the cold air sent Bakura flying away, and he hit the wall, hard. He fell to the ground with a thud, making Tea yelp in fear. The leader floated away with the two of the remaining, and disappeared as suddenly as he came.

The only thing that was left were bodies of others on the floor, but that changed soon, too, because the cloaks started billowing suddenly, making Tea expect them to raise again, but after a few seconds, the cloaks stopped billowing, and Tea realized that the cloaks were the only thing that remained from them. She let out a sigh of relief, breathing heavily. The night was slightly chilly, the dark alley around her, and her kidnapper and a savior lying on the floor beside her.

She crawled to knee beside him, to see if he was still alive, and when she wanted to check his pulse, a hand suddenly reached up and caught her wrist in a painful grip. She yelped, and a pair of cloudy, dark eyes confronted her cerulean orbs. Bakura was also breathing heavily, but when he saw who was kneeling beside him, he loosened his grip, but didn't let her go.

"Marik," he muttered and Tea lowered her head. The other young man was taken away.

Bakura got up, carefully holding Tea's wrist to support himself and looked around the dark alley. He scanned the cloaks, and the remains of fight. He spotted his knife on the street and Marik's dagger.

"Marik!" He yelled into the night, but Marik was gone.

**AN:**

**Wee, sorry it took me some time to write this chapter...*smiles sheepishly***

**Oh, and thank you for the reviews!**

**Till the next chapter,**

**Bye!**

**A.S.A**


	8. All at once

Disclaimer: *chant* Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh... *waves with her Millennium Item*

**AN:**

I'm sorry for my lack of updating, but I've been busy with the driving school lately (and trust me...this is _not_ a safe town anymore). Thank you all for your reviews; they really mean a lot. *smiles widely* It took me some time to write this chapter, it wasn't quite easy to try and describe the fight and all...I don't know if you like it...I hope you, do, though... ^_^

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter VII – All at once**

-by Alena S. Anigor

"And then...Tea was simply gone and..." Ishizu stopped with her story, trying to explain everything to Serenity who was listening carefully. They were standing aside from everyone, while Joey, together with Yuugi, Tristan and Solomon were discussing the police matters with insp. Muhadda. Mai was twirling the tiny black rope that was around her neck nervously, her camera showing beneath her shirt.

Serenity nodded understandingly, finally realizing what happened there a few hours ago. It was past midnight but no one was sleepy or even drowsy. Their nerves were like tight strings that threatened to break and fall apart every second. Insp. Muhadda, as much as he hated it, had to admit that his men hadn't found anything that could indicate where the thieves went and where they took the girl. He bowed apologetically, putting his red hat on top of his head again, and smoothing his mustaches, told them he would call them if they find out anything. With that, he left from the main hall, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as his figure vanished in the darkness.

Silence overtook from then, every one of them eyeing the other almost conspiratorially, while trying to come up with a plan worthy of rescuing Tea and bringing her back where it was safe.

Solomon coughed slightly, now very well aware that the whole legend thing had gone too far...Ishizu wasn't well introduced into the legend as he had guessed she would be, and now she didn't even know what she caused. Yuugi was staring at the floor blankly when he heard his grandfather cough and raised his head to look at him. He was hoping he got a good idea but seeing his grim expression and dark circles under his eyes, he simply took the action as a sign of sleepiness. 

Mai twirled the rope so hard around her finger that it became cold and blue already from the pressure. She couldn't believe that someone simply took Tea away and was doing to her God knows what at the moment. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the cars going away from the museum; insp. Muhadda and his men were leaving, and every hope of finding Tea abandoned her now.

"We got to do something," Yuugi said suddenly, still staring at his feet, but his face revealed determination and anger. Solomon sighed deeply, tapping him on the shoulder affectionately.

"No, Yuugi...we can't do anything," he replied, tiredness clear in his voice, looking down on the floor. That just made his grandson angrier, and he shrugged his hand off, turning to face him now. He clenched his fists, trying to control his anger. Never in his life had he felt such anger, and he never felt so helpless and weak. His friend was kidnapped, probably tortured now and he could do nothing...

"How can you say that? There's got to be something we can do!" He yelled now, catching the attention of everyone else in the hall. Joey and Tristan were looking at them, their eyes blank and hollow, Mai stopped twirling the rope of her camera, while Serenity and Ishizu simply stared at the two.

Solomon was slightly caught off guard; he didn't expect such an outburst from his grandson. He sighed again, lowering his head in defeat. 

"I wish we could, Yuugi, but..." he trailed off, helplessly trying to suppress his own misery. Partially, he thought he was the main to blame; he should've warned them before they came here, he should've warned Ishizu, too about the bad consequences of her researches. And now...Tea was paying the price for all that.

Yuugi got up and started pacing down the hall, desperately searching for a solution, but growled in frustration when nothing came to his mind that could help Tea. He realized that his grandfather was right; they couldn't help her if they didn't even know where she was taken. He returned to his previous demeanor; he sat on the chair again and stared at the floor numbly.

"I suppose we couldn't start the search on our own?" Solomon asked quietly and a few heads turned to look at him. Yuugi snorted angrily from below.

"And how? We don't even know where she is at the moment," he retorted, crossing his fingers below his chin. Solomon sighed dejectedly, noticing how the situation was becoming more and more hopeless.

Mai sat down on the chair beside Yuugi and crossed her hands. The camera was peeping out of her shirt now, and hanging on the thin black rope.

"I wonder if Tea is still alive at all," she said grimly, and everyone in the room shuddered inwardly at her words.

"The nerve of that woman!" Seto Kaiba seethed, tightening his grip on his suitcase. Mokuba tagged along, skipping down the stairs after him, wondering what happened in the museum that made everyone so edgy. 

The older Kaiba was storming down the stone stairs, a swirl of anger surging trough him. His face revealed arrogance and pride that couldn't be shattered even by Ishizu turning his offer down. 

"I will get that bust," he growled and Mokuba raised his eyebrows, silently questioning his brother's obsession with a piece of stone, in his humble opinion.

"But the woman said it wasn't for sale," he replied, watching the intense expression on his older sibling. Kaiba's eyes narrowed dangerously, icy color turning into a darker shade of blue again.

"That bust belongs to me, Mokuba! And I will get it," he almost barked, glaring at his suitcase. Mokuba just shrugged and decided not to argue with him anymore.

When they reached the end of the stairs, Mokuba stopped suddenly, staring in the opposite direction, his eyes widening slightly.

"What the hell..." Kaiba murmured, trying to find the limousine that drove him to the museum, but the limo was gone, leaving only an empty parking space in front of him, "that damn incompetent fool! He's fired!" He yelled, fury evident on his face.

"Uhm, Seto..." Mokuba said meekly, pulling his brother by his coat and pointing at the few figures not so far away from them, "they are...floating!" He yelped, instinctively hiding behind his brother. Kaiba turned his head to the other side where Mokuba pointed. 

Seven or eight of them were indeed floating a few feet above the ground, faces shadowed and invisible in the dark of the hood. They were floating closer now, and Mokuba wanted to say something to him, but lacked the words. Kaiba wasn't very intimidated by their appearances, which surprised him in a way. He actually felt calm and cool, as if the figures in front of him were his daily associates, and not ghostly images with whitish hands that were now spread in his direction. 

"Setooo..." Mokuba found some strength to talk, shocked beyond his beliefs of what shock could be like. He clutched his brother's trench coat tightly, and tugged on it, urging him to run away as far as he could. But Kaiba stood put, not daring to even show any sign of fear or anxiety. He simply stared at them, his eyes icy blue again, scrutinizing them all. He didn't even flinch like Mokuba did when one of the figures pointed a skeleton like finger at him, his cloak billowing behind him mysteriously.

"Seto..." He barely whispered, but the whisper managed to reach the ears of the two, as if it was carried by some invisible wind, "...Kaiba."

"What do you want?" Kaiba asked coolly, surprising Mokuba with the dosage of coldness and calmness in his voice. If he were in his place now, he'd probably be running down the street now.

The figure turned around and nodded slightly. Other figures started approaching them suddenly, but Kaiba was still standing calmly where he was. He did, however push Mokuba aside, telling him to go and hide somewhere. One of the figures decided to take a leap at him, but Kaiba dodged the hands of the figure and swiftly swinging with his suitcase, hit the figure straight in the head, making it fall down on the stone ground with a thud.

"Seto!" Mokuba yelled from behind, perplexed and scared now. The shock returned and he was now simply staring at him who was so calm and composed, his expression so hard and controlled that he could barely believe that this was his brother.

He turned to look at him, and Mokuba noticed a strange flashing of blue in his eyes, before he opened his mouth to speak again.

"Run!"

And Mokuba got up, praying out loud for his brother to be okay, as he ran back to the entrance of the museum, determined to get help. Behind him, Kaiba swung his suitcase again, sending one of the figures flying lightly away.

"You shall not get the bust, Seto Kaiba," the figure half whispered and half seethed, preparing himself for a launch at the young CEO.

"That is up to me only!" He replied loudly, already raising his suitcase high above his head, taking the stance and getting ready to hit the threatening figure.

Solomon wanted to suggest a rest for everyone when they heard a voice, echoing trough the corridor, loud and shrill from yelling and screaming.

"Heeeeelp!" Mokuba was screaming from the top of his lungs, aimlessly running down the museum's halls, and spotting the light from the nearby, turned left and ran straight into something hard, or someone to be precise.

Joey stared at the smaller boy from above, confused and curious for a second, before he recognized him as Mokuba Kaiba. He frowned instantly, crossing his hands. Others gathered around him, eyeing the boy with equal confusion.

"Look kid, we already told your brother that the bust was not for sa-"

"He's being attacked!" Mokuba interrupted him so suddenly with his scream that Joey flinched slightly. Behind him, Tristan and Yuugi exchanged glances.

"Whaaat?" Joey asked again, leaning down slightly to hear better. Mokuba was breathing heavily, holding the front of his shirt tightly, and trying to catch some oxygen. He raised his hand and a pair of desperate and frightened eyes greeted the group of people in front of him.

"What happened?" Solomon asked, now becoming worried slightly. Mokuba took a deep breath and started talking.

"Seto is, being attacked! Some guys they are floating and they are attacking him they...he needs your help, he can't...take them, too many...!

"Whoa, whoa, slow down a bit!" Tristan exclaimed, putting his hands up to stop him from babbling. Mokuba let out that breath he was holding for so long and straightened himself quickly. He clenched his fists angrily, eyeing them with narrowed eyes. The resemblance between him and older Kaiba was remarkable now.

"My brother is being attacked by some strange guys who are floating!" He screeched at them, and stood up on his toes to yell at Joey who raised an eyebrow.

"Come again?" He asked, scratching his messy blondish hair. 

"Show us!" Tristan said, and Mokuba started running away down the hall again, Tristan and others following behind. Joey just shrugged after Ishizu yelled at him to move already.

Outside the museum, Kaiba was now having a hard time trying to pry them all off of him. The figures surrounded him, whispering threats and insults that made his blood boil. When he swung at one of them, others would simply appear from the other side and tried to get their hands on him. He looked around and found it strange that there was no one near the museum; no one was there to witness the figures. And why they were floating, was beyond him. All he could think now was how to get them off his back and find Mokuba again. If they dared to touch his little brother, they were going to pay dearly.

"Seto!" He turned around when he heard that familiar voice and saw his brother, together with others from the museum. He was relieved that Mokuba was all right, but the figures were still there. One of them reached for him, but then stopped suddenly, and Kaiba backed away, now slightly surprised to see all hoods turned to the side. As if on cue, all of them turned around now, their bodies turned completely towards the museum, cloaks billowing. And all of them were looking at only one person. Simultaneously, they all pointed their fingers at the boy who was staring in disbelief at the floating creatures in front of the museum.

The one who was apparently the leader of them all, let out a blood chilling breath that hollowed trough the street, making all of them back away in fright. Serenity grabbed Joey's hand, hiding behind her brother. Mai and Ishizu simply stared at the figures, not daring to move, while Tristan, Joey and Yuugi were left with their mouths open. Only Solomon's eyes were slightly wide, his whole demeanor shaking. Mokuba was still breathless, glad to see his older brother alive.

The leader spread his hands forward, his fingers twitching, trying to grab the person they were meant for.

"Yuuuugiii, " he started, making the boy breath in sharply, his violet eyes wide with fear, "Muuutoouu," he added finally, his own breath shaking suddenly, empty and hollow. Solomon grabbed his grandson by the upper arm and yanked him behind him.

Yuugi was still shocked with the fact that the figure knew his name, and obviously wanted to do something with him...or _to_ him.

"Yuugi, stay back," Solomon ordered harshly, making Yuugi blink for a second before he dared to ask what was going on.

"Get them!" The shrill and hollow voice ordered, and the figures launched forward, three of them leaped at Kaiba, while others started floating towards Yuugi and the others. Serenity screamed, when Joey pushed her back and ordered her to stay put. Ishizu and Mai backed away as well, already prepared to run back into the museum.

"Seto!" Mokuba yelled, running to his brother to try and help him. Kaiba was swooned with the figures, one of them clutching his collar, while the other dug his fingers in his neck. Kaiba screamed in pain, trying to break free. The suitcase landed far away from him, and he had only his hands and legs to fight with.

"Mokuba, stay back!" He scremed, but Mokuba already jumped at one of the figures, holding it tightly around the neck, screaming at him to let his brother go.

"Yuugi!" Solomon yelled as well, pushing his grandson back violently, and the blow that was meant for him, hit Solomon straight across the face.

"Grandpa!" Yuugi yelled desperately, falling down onto the stone stairs, and watching his grandfather falling down helplessly. The leader let out a strange noise, something very close to a snicker that was heard all around him. 

"You bastards!" Tristan yelled, landing a solid punch at one of the figures, while Joey was having his hands full, trying to pry one of the figures off who was currently holding his upper arms tightly.

Serenity started crying, burying her head under Ishizu's neck, while the young woman was trying not to scream in horror herself. Mai was too stone shocked to do anything besides simply shaking vigorously, both of her hands on her mouth.

Mokuba fell down, hard and Kaiba screamed in fury this time. He yanked a pair of ghostly hands away, punching the figure so hard that he felt his hand go numb, his nerves flickering under his skin.

"Mokuba!" he yelled, already rushing to the spot where his younger brother was lying helplessly until the other two figures intercepted him, grabbing him by his hands and legs, and Kaiba fell down, completely immobile.

Just when the cloaked figure wanted to dig it's sharp nails into his eyes, someone grabbed it from above, yanked it away and sent it flying trough the air. Kaiba stared numbly, wide eyed, breathing so heavily that he already thought his heart would give up on him. The person, who was responsible for his rescue, grabbed the other, unsuspecting figure that was still trying to crawl to Kaiba's neck, yanked it away with such ease that it seemed like he just yanked a little child away. The figure landed a few feet away, hitting against the wall and falling soundlessly to the ground.

The girls were gaping at the stranger who now walked nonchalantly to the remaining cloaked creatures, pushing them all away with ease, and sending them flying a few feet away. The leader of the creatures was floating over Yuugi now, the young man completely motionless, staring at his grandfather who wasn't moving.

"Yuugi, watch it!" Ishizu and Mai yelled in unison, but when the figure wanted to swing his hand at the boy, another hand stopped it in mid swing and the leader turned away quickly. 

Yuugi raised his head slowly to look at the, what seemed to be a younger man, his skin tanned, holding the hand of the creature in a tight grip.

The leader let out a screeching sound, starting to trash violently from the young man's grip, who only swung his hand, still holding the hand of the creature and sent it flying high in the air. The cloaked figure continued on screeching, letting out hollow screams that was piercing the ears of the others. Serenity covered her ears quickly, not wanting to look at it anymore. The others watched intently the arc of the flying figure as it was starting to fall to the ground again. 

"Nooooo!" The figure screamed, the noise filling the street again, the mysterious and invisible air seemed to billow his cloak again, and he stopped, a few inches away from hitting the ground. He stayed like that for a few seconds before straightening himself in a vertical position again, his cloak billowing now madly around him. The tanned young man who was standing near Yuugi, frowned and let his hand fall down slowly.

"May this be a warning," he said, his voice firm and steady. All eyes were on him and the figure now, who only let out another ear piercing sound and vanished down the street, disappearing in the dark.

Silence followed, and all the noises and the sounds of the street and the night returned again. Ishizu could hear the sound of cars bustling nearby again, and the almost welcoming sound of night animals around the museum.

Kaiba stood up, grimacing and holding the bloody stain on his neck and reaching down to see if Mokuba was all right. Almost involuntarily, Yuugi knelt down by his grandfather, simply staring at his face. Ishizu ran to kneel beside Yuugi, while Serenity ran to her brother, who was still in some sort of state of shock. Tristan was obviously out of it all, because he was still staring at the place where the figure stopped falling and then disappeared, almost as if he was expecting it to return back again.

Mai was standing on top of the stairs, right in front of the museum's entrance, clutching the rope of her camera again.

Kaiba was still composed enough to pull out his cell phone and call for help. He picked up Mokuba, after assuring himself that he was still alive, but unconscious. He stood under the stone stairs, glaring at everyone around him. 

Yuugi was shaking his grandfather, trying to wake him up, but failed to do that. The tanned young man knelt beside him and Ishizu, and observed him, almost analytically.

"He will be all right," he said after a moment, and Yuugi noticed his presence again. He got up abruptly, shaking with anger and clenching his fists.

"Who are you?" he demanded, glaring at the young man, trying to control his sudden anger again.

"And what the hell just happened here?" Joey joined him in questioning. The young man observed them all calmly, and then fixing his turban, closed his eyes for a second before opening his mouth to speak.

"I see Seto Kaiba has already called for help," he said and turned around to look at Kaiba, who was holding Mokuba in his hands, and giving him a look that could've sliced him if he had that power, "then maybe we should go inside, it is safer." With that, the young man simply walked away and entered trough the doors, not paying attention to a perplexed Mai. 

It took all of them a few moments until they composed themselves and followed behind. Mai was the first, hugging herself protectively around the waist, Serenity was still clutching her brother's hand. Tristan and Ishizu helped Yuugi drag his grandfather trough the doors. Kaiba entered the last, Mokuba's hands hanging limply underneath him.

When they all gathered in the main hall again, the young man was already standing in the middle of the hall, waiting patiently for them. Yuugi placed his grandpa on the chair carefully, seating him the right way so not to fall. Kaiba was standing aside, not letting Mokuba out of his hands.

"Who are you?" Ishizu asked the young man when he looked at her, in an almost blaming manner.

"No...", Joey said, crossing his hands over his chest angrily, "Who or _what_ were _they_?"

"What is happening here, huh?" Tristan demanded next, clenching his fist in the air.

"I think we all need an explanation here, and you owe us one," Kaiba said calmly from behind, putting Mokuba on the chair now. A few sharp nods confirmed his words and silence followed again.

The young man closed his eyes again for a second then opened them a moment later.

"First things first," he spoke, scanning them all across the hall.

"You may call me Shadi."


	9. Playing games

Disclaimer: This girl here *points at herself* doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh...*shakes her head*

**The Legend of the three souls**

**Chapter VIII - Playing games**

-by Alena S. Anigor

A few curious heads were peeping out of their windows, and a crowd was slowly starting to form in front of the Museum of ancient artifacts. The ambulance vehicle was parked just below the stone steps and a few medics were carrying an injured old man on the flat bed covered with sheets, while a pair of other medics was carrying a young boy who was also lying unconscious on the bed. They put them inside the vehicle carefully, ordering the driver to get ready.

The crowd around them started to whisper when two young men stepped inside the vehicle as well, one of them being recognized as Seto Kaiba.

The other young man stepped behind him, casting a worried glance towards Ishizu and the others who were staying at the entrance, watching the scene with equally worried and frightened expressions.

Yuugi promised Mai and Ishizu to call them as soon as possible, and he and Kaiba also had to give their words to the mysterious man with a turban who practically ordered them to get back to the museum when they were sure that their close ones were all right. He said they had much to learn.

The doors closed, and the ambulance moved slowly out of the parking place in front of the museum, making the crowd of people step aside. They were still murmuring among themselves, casting curious glances towards the, now completely shocked leader of the museum.

Ishizu let out a shaky breath, clasping her hand across her mouth, her eyes falling downwards. How could all that happen, was beyond her. She already had some allusions that this was all somehow connected to the busts and the legend: the theft, Tea's kidnapping, the mysterious men in cloaks and now her best colleague and an innocent boy getting hurt by those same men, who disappeared without a clue when their leader disappeared as well. Only their cloaks that were now in possession of Shadi's hands remained from them. Joey hugged his sister closer, trying to comfort her with words that everything would be okay. Mai was standing stiffly on the top of the stairs, her back rigid and her eyes still wide. She simply couldn't comprehend how fast everything happened and how incredible and unbelievable everything looked like. She felt like she just entered some bad horror movie.

Tristan snapped them all out of their turmoil when he suggested that they should go back to the museum; Shadi was waiting for them.

When they turned around to go inside, Tristan had to wave his hand in front of Ishizu's eyes to see if she had heard him at all. She simply shook her head, whispering how it was all her fault, and it took Tristan some time until he convinced her that Solomon and Mokuba weren't injured that badly and that they'd probably be with them soon enough. But that didn't stop the young woman from flipping all the images in her head all over again, blaming herself not only for Solomon and Mokuba's injuries, not only for Tea's kidnapping, but also for starting the diggings, trying to reveal the legend and clear it out. She felt responsible, realizing that it was her very own ambition and curiosity that brought them into this, that caused so much trouble and so many problems in the first place. She cursed her fascination with the legend, repeating her grief silently in her mind like a mantra.

_It's my fault..._

Tea was tired, scared, shocked, and she had an immense headache on top of it all. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like her head would explode...and the thief, who was currently dragging her behind him wasn't making the situation any easier. They were walking down the deserted alley, darkness consuming every corner and making the street look like a big giant dark hole they were walking trough. She was stumbling every now and then, trying to catch up with the pace the white haired man was holding. They have been walking for a while, now already far away from the alley where those creepy men attacked them, and haven't spoken a word ever since. The thief seemed to know the path pretty well, because he wasn't stumbling as much as she was, and he knew exactly where to go when they reached the end of the alley and she could see two separate alleys ahead. He turned left, still pulling her behind him like he was dragging a stubborn camel on a leash. Her feet started to ache badly, and her shock subsided slowly, making her aware of the fact just how much tired and exhausted she was. She's been thinking for a while now, trying to come up with good excuse to say something, anything as foolish as it sounded. Her headache gave her just the idea, and she coughed slightly, gathering her courage and hoping her voice wouldn't let her down.

"Uhm...hey, you..." she started, not knowing how to address him since she wasn't quite sure what his name was. The thief showed no sign that he had heard her, so she had to raise her voice a bit.

"Hey!" She half - yelled, and couldn't get any further because the next second, he turned around, pressing his hand across her mouth and glaring at her sinisterly. Tea's eyes widened in fear again, and he leaned in closer, dark orbs glistening threateningly in the almost pitch black alley.

"Silence", he hissed sharply, startling her for a second, before he removed his hand, but didn't let her go. Tea stared at him for a moment, before swallowing hard the lump that climbed suddenly up her throat.

"Sorry", she whispered apologetically and then dared to look at him again, although she could only see his eyes and the edges of his features. His hair was the only thing she managed to see completely since it was light, almost whitish. 

He was observing her now, too, watching her in the eyes intently, and she could see the fury still burning in his dark orbs, the hatred and the annoyance she was responsible for when she interrupted him from his wandering trough the alleys.

"I...I really can't go on anymore, my head hurts and my feet-"

"Well too bad for you, because we're continuing," he interrupted her with another hiss, and not wasting any moment, turned around and pulled her by the hand again. This time more violently and Tea had to yelp slightly, gritting her teeth. She didn't dare to provoke him any further, already imaging the things he could do to her in his angry state. So she decided to keep her mouth shut, and try to stay sane until he'd finally stop dragging her.

The alley was narrow, and with Tea's constant stumbling on every rock that found its way under her feet, Bakura couldn't wait to finally reach his hideout and take some time off to think about the events that happened a few hours ago. His plan was almost ingenious - kidnap the leader of the museum, and then hold her captive. Then he would ask for the bust in exchange for the life of the woman...but, things didn't turn out as he planned - first, he had to act quickly and since the woman named Ishizu wasn't there, he had to take the closest to her - the other girl who, as he hoped, wouldn't turn out to be completely useless. Then, he would demand an exchange for the bust and he would go to pick up the bust, while Marik would keep an eye on the girl. Well, now he had neither - he had no bust, and he lost Marik to a bunch of weirdoes in cloaks who on top of all that, simply disappeared after that.

Oh yes, the night was definitely and completely screwed up now, and his ingenious plan was totally ruined. And the annoying girl still dared to ask dumb questions if they were 'there yet'. He couldn't take it anymore, this whole thing was slowly starting to eat at his nerves so without a warning, he turned around and pushed the girl towards the wall, silencing her immediately, and she was again, left with mouth open, now scared and frightened of him again. He reached for his knife, and it glistened in the dark for a second, before he leaned it against the girl's neck. She let out a gasp, staring widely at him, eyes pleading him not to do anything to her. But he already lost his patience and his composure and he wanted nothing more than to rip something or someone apart, and the girl was a perfect opportunity to let his anger and fury out on her. 

Tea started to panic now; she was very well aware of the cold metal pressed against her skin for the second time that night, and she was also aware that she managed to piss the thief off, who now looked so frightening that she started to shake involuntarily. His eyes narrowed into tiny slits, as he glared daggers at her, the blade also shaking slightly under his pressure. 

"P-please," Tea whispered, not knowing what else to do than to beg for mercy, "I'm sorry, I-I won't say a word again, p-please..." her voice was barely audible now, two streaks of tears falling from her eyes. She closed them, not wanting to look at the face of her kidnaper anymore, and more tears fell down her, now already pale face.

Bakura was breathing deeply, thinking almost madly about what would happen if he would simply let the blade slide across her neck and put her out of her misery. A few crystal drops that fell out of her eyes stopped him suddenly, snapped him out of his moment of insanity and temptation, and he remembered again that he took her for a reason, that she could still be useful to him.

Slowly, he stepped away slightly, retrieving the knife back to his robes again. He was still trying to compose himself, breathing deeply. All the happenings tonight managed to make him flip out, something he rarely did, only when it came to something really important. And his best friend's disappearance seemed bloody important to him. Never the less, he decided to spare the girls' life. She was still shaking uncontrollably, squeezing her eyes shut, already prepared to die. When she felt something touching her face, she jerked so suddenly that the thief quickly pulled his hand away. She opened her eyes slowly, breathing deeply, and then realized that the blade was no longer pressed against her neck and that the white haired man was standing in front of her, with his hand half raised in the air. She wondered briefly what just happened, before his eyes vanished under the whitish bangs, and he sighed deeply.

Tea was staring at him now in some sort of disbelief and surprise; she expected him to slaughter her or stab her, but when he raised his head again, his eyes hard and serious again like before and grabbed her hand not so violently, she let out a breath she was holding for a while.

He still warned her to keep her mouth shut, and follow him. She nodded mutely, a sudden feeling of relief and something similar to joy washing over her.

_Maybe because I'm still alive,_ she thought, keeping a steady pace behind the thief and trying not to stumble too much.

After another half an hour of walking, she was curiously watching the scenery around her; the houses were rare here, the alley wasn't covered with stone but with the soft sand now, and the only light was coming from the half moon that shone in the middle of the clear sky. She let out a breath when he finally stopped and looked around. She also turned around to see what he was looking at but saw no one.

When she turned around, he was watching her intently and she swallowed again, raising one hand in defense.

"I was quiet, wasn't I?" she asked quietly, slightly becoming afraid again; the way he was looking at her was just...disturbing.

"Yes, yes you were," he replied slowly, still keeping his eyes on her.

Bakura almost chuckled and smirked, noticing the fear in her eyes again which were now brilliant, the moonlight illuminating the blue color of her eyes and her almost porcelain like skin. She was looking at him apprehensively, and he smirked for real this time, earning a slight movement of her hand inside his from her. He tightened his grip slightly then decided to turn around.

In front of them was a little house, not much larger than what Tea would consider a shed, and a few feet away stood another house, that was the last one in row. Bakura stepped forward, wanting to knock at the doors, but the doors crept open with a squeak, and he quickly stepped away, almost stepping on her feet. Tea craned her neck aside to see what happened, but she could only see the half open doors and the darkness inside the house.

"Something's not right," Bakura mumbled, and ordered Tea to stay put in a threatening tone. She just nodded, her eyes scanning her surroundings. She almost snorted; even if she tried to run away, he would catch her because the street was small and straight, and besides that - they were already so far away from the museum that she highly doubted that she could even find her way back.

Bakura's robe swooshed slightly when he pulled out his knife and Marik's dagger, just in case. He turned around to look at Tea one more time who only stared at the dark space between the doors and the muddy wall. Slowly, he used his leg to open the doors completely and they squeaked even louder this time and then on Tea's surprise fell down with a soft thud. She almost screamed, expecting a herd of cloaked monsters jumping at them, but Bakura ran into the house and vanished in the darkness. Tea could hear a rustle coming from inside and wondered what happened. The doors were lying uselessly across the entrance, Tea's eyes following the odd textures on them. It looked like someone used claws on them. A moment later, she snapped out of her observations to see a candle being lit in the house. She could see a shadow dancing across the wall and knew it was the thief, judging by the sharp bangs that covered his face. He came out hastily and found her standing there; she wrapped her hands around her protectively. It was getting pretty cold and she wished she had that long sleeved shirt with her now.

Without a single word, Bakura pulled her inside the house and she yelped again. He grabbed the doors and restored them again. He closed them and let one heavy looking piece of wood fall across them. He practically sealed them inside the house, but Tea wondered if that would do them any good if the men in cloaks decided to come back.

"Sit," he ordered her, and she looked around for a second. There was only one table in one single room, and that table was occupied by a candle. There were no chairs so Tea didn't know where to sit. Everywhere she looked, she couldn't find a decent spot to sit on. In the end, she gave up and simply plopped down on the floor, made of solid mud.

Bakura was fidgeting with something in front of the candle before he turned around and threw something to her. A slightly torn reddish blanket fell on her head, and she mumbled something under her breath before pulling it off her head and eyeing it with a disgusted expression.

Bakura observed the girl and the way she looked at the blanket. He frowned, already assuming that she would act like that. He already imagined her throwing the blanket away and saying she would rather sleep outside.

Tea sniffed the blanket a bit; it smelled like a sweatshirt of a jogger who didn't take a shower, and she grimaced again. However, she was cold so she wrapped the blanket around her, slightly content that it was at least warm. That gesture surprised the thief a bit, but he didn't say anything. She wiped her eyes and her face, still sticky from all the crying and then looked up. She saw the thief looking at her oddly again, but this time he seemed surprised. She didn't know what to say or how to act so she lowered her head down, staring at her shoes that were peeping out below the blanket.

"What is your name?" The thief asked suddenly and she raised her head to look at him. He was observing her with a mixture of curiosity and something else she couldn't define.

"Tea," she replied quietly, "and yours?"

Bakura eyed her for a moment, before turning around to put the dagger on the table. He stared at it for a while, wondering where Marik was at the moment, before he turned around again.

"Bakura," he replied and heard a low giggle coming from the girl. He frowned. "What?"

Tea shook her head, smiling slightly at him. "Nothing."

Bakura's frown deepened and Tea stopped smiling; somehow having the strange impression that she offended him or something similar to that. She just thought his name was kind of funny, but dismissed the thought to say it out loud now. 

"Sorry," she muttered quietly, lowering her head again. She could hear a mutiny in her stomach and cringed inwardly when the sound of her stomach churning broke the silence in the small shed. She blushed a little, gritting her teeth.

Bakura raised an eyebrow, looking around the shed, but found nothing to eat. He was used to that already; that's why he was so skinny, but the girl...he frowned - she would simply have to endure her hunger for tonight. After all, she wasn't in her own country anymore, and now she would have the opportunity to see how he had to live here. And if she wanted to survive, she would have to fight for everything she wanted, just like him. It was a basic survivor instinct and Bakura wondered, amused by the thought, just how long could she survive here, in _his_ world.

Tea raised her head hearing the swooshing sounds again, hoping that he managed to find an apple or anything at all to eat, but her eyes almost widened drastically when she saw him taking his robes off of him. He was now standing in his pants only, his torso completely exposed to her. He smirked slightly, hearing her taking a sharp breath. He turned around to look at her baffled expression and she blushed beat red, quickly turning her head to look at the doors. There were scars across his chest, but they were barely visible under the faint light of the candle.

"We have a lot to do," he spoke, slowly and almost whispering. It sent shivers down her spine, and she redirected her eyes to the floor, not knowing what to say. She only hoped he had no intentions to rape her or something, and she almost gasped when he approached her, holding his robes in his hand, watching her with that scrutinizing eyes. He scanned her face and chuckled lightly, seeing her frightened again. She clutched the blanket tighter to herself, almost involuntarily and he smirked, already knowing what she might be thinking.

He turned around again, and licking his fingers slightly, pressed the faint flame of the candle, leaving only smoke and sheer darkness around.

There was only one small window and it was set high on the muddy wall. One silvery beam managed to squeeze trough, illuminating the shed slightly. 

Tea started shivering again, praying deep down inside. She could hear his footsteps and almost gasped when he stood exactly in front of her, the beam illuminating the dark fabric of his pants. She could make out his figure faintly, and when he leaned down towards her, she leaned back as much as she could against the wall. His face now reached the beam, tiny specks of dust flying trough it, and there was his face, or the half of it. She could only see his bangs and his eyes, glistening, amused. She let out a strangled noise, already fearing the worst, but then he suddenly knelt by her side, letting his robes fly in the air for a bit, before covering himself with them.

"Sweet dreams," he murmured softly, with a sarcasm evident in his voice.

And for the first time in her life, Tea was sure she wasn't going to sleep tonight.

The room was full of cloaked figures, golden statues shining under the faint light, and the throne was currently occupied by the cloaked person, who was resting his hands on each side of the throne, slightly clutching the red silky material.  

The three of the cloaked figures stepped out, bowing in front of the throne. No one spoke, and the silence was almost touchable. A pair of emerald eyes narrowed dangerously, making the figures shift uncomfortably. He leaned backwards, crossing his long legs, waiting for an explanation.

"So?"

The figures squirmed slightly under their hoods, looking at each other, almost accusingly.

"Ancient One," the left one started, his voice wavering slightly, but when he wanted to continue, the man on the throne stopped him with one single movement of his hand. The figure halted, taking a deep and shaky breath.

"Let me guess," a deep voice echoed trough the large room, emerald eyes becoming tiny slits now, "you failed to destroy them?"

Silence followed in which no one dared to answer the question. The silence itself was an answer enough for the man on the throne and he lowered his head, an almost evil chuckle escaping his lips.

"But, Ancient One," the right one dared to speak, letting someone fall to the carpeted floor. The body of a young man was lying on the red carpet, not moving. His sandy hair covered his face and the man on the throne couldn't see who it was.

"We could use him to get to the one of them," the cloaked figure continued, "I'm sure you can-"

In that moment, the large double doors opened, and one cloaked figure entered the room, carrying something between his hands. The figure bowed in front of the throne, and raised his hands high. The man on the throne got up so quickly that the three who were standing backed away in panic.

"Excellent!" The man whispered in awe. His eyes widened and he stretched his hands forward. The object in the figure's hand slipped away from his hands and flew directly into the hands of the man on the throne. He grabbed the smaller object, observing it and turning it in his hands. Emerald eyes narrowed, but a wicked smile followed this time, and the man started laughing almost maniacally, others simply staring at him.

"Finally! The First Soul, the soul of Horus is mine!" He yelled in some sort of ecstasy and then sat down on the throne again, eyeing the bust greedily.

"Now..." he started, his voice full of excitement, raw and loud, "nothing won't stop me again."

He admired the bust for a while, before he noticed the young man stirring on the carpet. He lowered the bust, watching the boy shaking his head and trying to come to his senses. The man on the throne let out a chuckle again, levitating to the boy and holding the bust tightly.

"You say he..." he started, looking at the cloaked figure who flinched visibly at the question directed to him.

"Is a friend of...Bakura's, how he calls himself today," the figure filled in the information and the levitating tall man smiled wickedly again.

"Well, since I'm in a such a good mood, I'll spare your pathetic lives today," he announced, and all the figures sighed inwardly in the room, "and you will get up."

Marik was forced to get up, his head still cloudy and his vision blurry, but he could feel his body rising suddenly without an explanation and then he was forced to look into a pair of sinister emerald eyes. Something about them mesmerized him and he let his thoughts wander with no real purpose in his head.

"Your name," the man demanded, holding him like a puppeteer on a string.

"Marik," he mumbled, slightly aware of his response. Everything was a mess in his head and he couldn't clear it out no matter how much he tried.

"And you know...Bakura?" the man asked again and Marik nodded faintly. The man let out one of his evil chuckles and smirked, satisfied.

"Well then Marik," he said, leaning him closer to his face, and forcing him to look him straight in the eye, "I've got a job for you." He added, smiling wickedly.

It took some time before Marik registered the words of the man in front of him, but even then, he sounded like he was talking to him from a barrel. 

"Yes..." was the last thing he heard himself say, before he let himself go to a whirl of emptiness and darkness, consuming his thoughts and emotions, and Marik's eyes went blank.


	10. The legend

Disclaimer: *sigh*and I _still_ don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...

**AN:**

Whoa, I'm already on the ninth chapter...oh and thanks for all your reviews, they really are a great support, and they make me write more. ^_^

Now, this story is mixed a bit - a part of it _is_ from the ancient Egyptian mythology, and the part of it, I made up myself. So, what I wrote as a legend - don't take too seriously, it's just a product of my wild imagination, and most of the things never even happened...but then again, you never know...*maniacal laughter*

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter IX - The legend**

-by Alena S. Anigor

The atmosphere in the taxi was grim and almost dead. The taxi driver threw a few curious glances in the mirror to see his clients sitting on the back seat, and received one sorrowful and worried look from the spiky haired boy and one icy glare from the taller young man in a trench coat. He just shrugged and continued to drive, not wanting to risk the chance of not getting paid for the ride.

Yuugi felt horrible; his grandpa was laying in the hospital now, all sorts of tubes sticking out of his sleeves, and the younger brother of his taxi companion was still unconscious. He remembered how Kaiba almost made a ruckus in front of the doctors, demanding from them to make him conscious again. He was behaving like a wild animal let loose from the cage, and Yuugi barely managed to restrain him from punching the doctor when he said that they would have to wait for a while and make some tests first.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and he looked outside the window. The streets were mostly empty now, streetlamps still on. He looked at his watch and saw that it was past 3 am. He stiffened a yawn, and turned to look at the taller young man beside him. 

Seto Kaiba was wearing his trade - mark frown, combined with a deadly glare that promised everyone bad consequences if someone dared to provoke him.

Yuugi already told the taxi driver where to drive to, and now the taxi slowed down, the museum visible already from the nearby. The driver parked the car in front of the museum and turned around. Kaiba stepped out without even blinking, so Yuugi had to pay for the ride back to the museum. The taxi driver smiled happily, showing him a row of yellow and golden teeth, and Yuugi smiled uneasily, thinking how the man had probably never seen a toothbrush. He stepped out as well, and walked away towards the entrance doors after Kaiba. His slow footsteps echoed across the stone steps, and Yuugi wanted desperately to say something, or to start a conversation about the whole incident, but lacked the words. And, as he thought, the CEO would probably glare at him, too...

Ishizu raised her head along with the others when they entered the main hall. Joey and Tristan, along with Ishizu and Mai rushed to them, surrounding them and started asking questions about the old grandpa. No one really bothered to ask about Kaiba's brother, except Serenity, who asked him timidly how Mokuba was. Kaiba just looked at her soberly and turned his head sideways. 

"How is he?"

"Is he going to be all right?"

"Will he live?" Was Mai's question, on which Yuugi gave her a dirty look.

"Of course he will!" He yelled now, already fed up with everything and Mai backed away a bit, now realizing that she went too far. Ishizu tapped him on the shoulder, giving him one sympathetic look and smiled sadly. Joey and Tristan offered a few words of comfort and Yuugi smiled a bit now, although his smile was barely visible.

Shadi was the only one, except for Kaiba, who stood calmly by the large table, observing everything with keen eyes. Kaiba looked at him, almost accusingly and Shadi returned the look with seriousness, bluish eyes looking at him with determination and boldness. There was also something very similar to coldness in his eyes that resembled Kaiba's.

He coughed slightly, gaining everyone's attention as they turned around to look at him.

"All right, now tell us already," Joey demanded, crossing his hands across his chest, "what the hell is going on here?"

Tristan nodded sharply, leaning back to meet the cold wall of the hall. Yuugi and Ishizu were watching him intently, both of them waiting for some kind of explanation for the whole madness. Shadi sighed once, and uncrossed his hands. He moved to the table and sat on one of the chairs, inviting everyone else to join him with a movement of his hand. They all sat reluctantly at the table, chairs squeaking as they were pulled. No one really wanted to sit next to Kaiba, so Serenity decided to sit there since it was the last vacant spot she could sit on. The CEO didn't even pay attention to her, his eyes directed towards the man with a turban, sharp and piercing.

Shadi closed his eyes for a moment, before he opened them again, scanning each of them with a serious gaze. He put his hands on the table, crossing his fingers and coughed again.

"I will tell you now...all about the legend, and you will hear about how it all began, and-"

"Get to the point already!" Joey interrupted him, and Mai agreed silently. Shadi glanced at him for a second, before he lowered his head slightly.

"In order to hear and understand the legend, you may not wish to interrupt me, Joseph Wheeler."

Joey's eyes widened slightly and now he stared at him, almost in some sort of shock. Serenity looked at his brother questioningly, wondering briefly if he knew the man.

"How did he-"

"Shh..." Ishizu jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow and he closed his mouth, rolling his eyes in an irritated manner.

Shadi allowed the silence to take over again and then raised his head again to continue where he stopped.

"Five thousand years ago, when the Egypt was the land of Gods and pharaohs, there was a Pharaoh, young but mighty and strong. He ruled over his land with dignity and fair hand...he had his royal subjects, men who respected him and admired him, and all was right..."

"Now comes the part where someone screws the thing up, right?" Joey asked again, and Tristan smacked him on the head vehemently.

"Will you be quiet for a second?" 

"Oww...sorry..." He mumbled and scratched his head, sulking.

Shadi sighed and continued, never the less.

"Joseph is right - there was someone who," there he stopped, choosing his words carefully, "wanted to ruin everything."

"I knew it," Joey whispered, satisfied that his theory was correct. Tristan and Ishizu were already on the move to shut him up, but Shadi continued with his story so they gave up.

"There was a priest, a very powerful one. He served the Pharaoh for a long time, when he was still very young...he was well respected and admired as well, but...unfortunately, his real intentions were hidden and mean. 

You see, trough the years he had developed a plan, a perfect one - he would kill the young Pharaoh, but before that, he would make him write a testament that he would be his direct heir so he could sit on the throne as the next Pharaoh. And he succeeded - he threatened to kill the Pharaoh's wife to be, so the young ruler was forced to write a testament.

Amukh, as his name was, killed the girl anyway, and weakened Pharaoh's will by doing so. Friends and subjects who were still devoted to the Pharaoh stepped on his side, while Amukh and a few others were already gathering the army to take over the throne. When the battle came, Pharaoh died by his hand, and the three of the last friends of the Pharaoh called the ancient Gods - Horus, Osiris and Anubis. The Gods responded, and unleashed their wrath at the priest...

He and his followers were banished from this world, while the three men who called upon the Gods couldn't channel the power of them enough to survive...The Gods took their souls then, and sealed them into three statues - an animal like busts, representing each of the Gods...Falcon, representing Horus, Scarab, representing Osiris and the Jackal, representing Anubis. 

The bodies of those three were buried somewhere where no one managed to find them after that...no one really bothered to look, since no one believed in the legend...Unfortunately, Amukh swore his revenge upon all who dared to disobey him, and swore he would come again...And now...he has come again..."

Shadi finished his story, and uncrossed his fingers on the table, leaning back into the chair. Silence followed after that, in which seven faces stared at him, some of them in shock, and some of them in awe. Kaiba was the first to speak after he regained his composure.

"And what does that have to do with us?" 

Shadi smiled slightly, the gesture seeming so odd suddenly. He leaned back on the table, watching the young CEO with something very similar to mischief in his eyes.

"Seto Kaiba...it has _everything_ to do with you...especially with you," there he turned to look at the young boy whose face was still frozen from hearing the story, "and you, Yuugi Mutou."

Yuugi jerked slightly, snapping out of his stupor and he stared at him for a while, before he looked at Kaiba, who glared at the man with turban.

"Excuse me?" He asked, not quite comprehending what Shadi meant with that.

The man smiled softly again, looking at them both, almost with pride.

"There is a reason for all this...there is a reason for everything that has been happening by now...Ishizu's interest in the legend, her finding the bust, your arrival here Yuugi Mutou, your interest in ancient Egyptian mythology Seto Kaiba...those cloaked men wanting to kill you two only...all this is happening for a reason..."

Ishizu shook her head. "I don't understand."

"Me neither," Joey added, frowning at the whole thing.

Tristan, Mai and Serenity were simply staring at them all with their mouth agape. Kaiba crossed his hands and snorted. "I don't believe a thing you just said."

Shadi smiled again, which surprised him a bit. "I wasn't expecting you to believe in that...but can you explain the things that occurred tonight? Can you find an explanation for the men in cloaks, and can you comprehend the extent of the seriousness of the situation, which brought your brother in danger?"

Kaiba wanted to say something but then decided against it, not knowing really how to explain everything that happened. Shadi nodded almost understandingly and put his hands on his lap now. He frowned for a second and then took a deep breath.

"What I will tell you right now...is something I believed in for a long time, but until recently, I wasn't certain. Now I am positive in my visions and my knowledge."

"Uh - oh, I sense something bad coming," Joey commented and Mai put her hands around her shoulders protectively. 

"You, Seto Kaiba, and you, Yuugi Mutou...are the ones."

Silence followed again, in which everyone simply looked at them like they've grown another head. Yuugi was confused again, and Kaiba let out an annoyed sigh.

"What do you mean by that?" Mai asked and Ishizu let out a gasp that startled everyone around her.

"What?" Tristan asked immediately. "What?"

"You...are you saying that..." she started, looking at Shadi in fright, her blue eye wide and filled with fear and recognition. Shadi nodded slowly, affirming her suspicions.

"What? What is it?" Joey asked and Yuugi swallowed hard. 

"What is it?" He asked, wanting to know just what he got himself into. Shadi sighed heavily, closing his eyes to open them a moment later. His eyes revealed an almost regretful gaze, as if he was sorry he had to deliver the news to them.

"Yuugi Mutou, and Seto Kaiba..." He started, and both of them looked at him, one of them questioningly, the other one with dread.

"Oh, my..." Ishizu whispered, clasping a hand over her mouth.

Shadi got up and supported his weight on his hands, resting on the table.

"I must tell you, that you are them...you are the reincarnations of the souls."


	11. Anxiety

Disclaimer: Hmm...I'm running out of the decent excuses for this thing already...got any ideas? Oh yeah – I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**AN:**

Okaaaay...I see that I've managed to confuse some of you now...This is for **Ice Ember**: No, Seto isn't Amukh...Amukh is someone else...*mysterious gaze* But, I think his identity should be revealed in this chapter, though...^_^ To everyone else: Thanks for your reviews! Oh, and **hieiandbotan4ever, **(I wrote this right...right?) what is a story without a little suspense? ^_~

**The legend of the three souls**

**Chapter X – Anxiety**

-by Alena S. Anigor

-

The night was still chilly just slightly, and the first rays of sun were already evident on the horizon. The usual dark hue of blue was slowly replaced by fiery red and orange, indicating that the dawn was approaching. The desert sand started to glisten under the faint light of the giant star, tiny specks of minerals shining, creating an illusion of the diamonds covering the sandy blanket of the desert.

Everything seemed peaceful and still except for one small part of the desert; the sand suddenly disappearing into the air, creating a faint whirl, and one cloaked figure stepped out of what seemed to be a hole in the sand. It stepped out quickly, covering its face with his skeleton like hand, trying to block the shiny rays. Other figure stepped out after him, but this one looked slightly different. The cloaked figure bowed, however in front of the taller man respectfully. Instead of a cloak covering his body and hood shading his face, the tall man was wearing something very similar to a tunic. The white fabric was hanging loosely around his shoulders, reaching all the way down to his feet. The man seemed to be young, with dark hair and bangs covering his emerald eyes. But his eyes were the most astonishing thing about him – they were sharp and narrowed due to the sun he was forbidden to see for thousands and thousands of years...His skin was still tanned and smooth, his shoulders wide and muscular. He seemed strong and corpulent, and the fact that he was now looking at the desert with eyes wide and full of undistinguished hate and revenge made him look even more intimidating and frightening than he already was. His left hand was occupied by a little clay statue, a bust with a head of a falcon, and with a circle, presenting sun on its crown. The ancient First Soul – the bust of Horus. 

After he scanned the desert with his penetrating gaze, he lowered his head to look at the bust, already feeling the immense power radiating from it. The cloaked figure was standing there; his previous minion and servant, now standing and worshiping him again.

"I can feel it," the man murmured, ecstatic laughter filling the, now slightly warmer air around them, "they will not raise again...and I will have the power once again...I will have what belongs to me!"

"Yes, Ancient One," the figure knelt down in front of him, eyeing its master and the bust in his hand, the head of the falcon trapped helplessly between his fingers in a tight grip.

"And then the whole world shall obey me! Once and for all..." He took a deep breath, inhaling the air of the desert, and then frowned. He sensed something strange in the air; he sensed a change he wasn't quite prepared for. He turned to his loyal servant and ordered him to get up. He obeyed, standing up on his feet immediately and bowed.

"Many years have passed...and I have a feeling, you have got to explain me certain things about the world today," he said, emerald eyes narrowing in dislike. The figure bowed again, now becoming slightly agitated already because of the light ball that started shining more brightly now. The taller man looked at him, amused, but ordered him to take them back into the grave again. The cloaked figure nodded with a few words of obedience, and then let his master go first back into the hole where sand was lying just a few minutes ago.

"And tell everyone to start looking for a new place to be," the man added, voice now firm and authoritative, "I am tired of being trapped in my own grave. And with the freedom I posses now...It is time to make something out of it."

With that, the figure jumped in after him, and the hole closed again, sand sliding back into its previous state. The sun was already half visible on the horizon and the silence filled the desert again.

***

The vision was blurry, and Tea had to wipe her eyes for a few times to be able to see clearly. The room she was in looked so familiar and welcoming, but then when her eyes adjusted to the things around her, she realized that her own room and sleeping in her own bed was just a nice dream.

The reality around her was a living nightmare...

She looked around, moaning slightly. Every bone in her body hurt, and her back felt as stiff as the rock. When she wanted to get up, she could hear bones cracking in her neck. Spending the whole night sleeping in the same position was never a good thing, and she knew it, but...there was the thief, sleeping right beside her, and she didn't want to risk the chance of her head falling to the thief's shoulder and have him getting the wrong ideas.

Tea shuddered involuntarily at the thought, wobbling her way up on her feet. The blanket was still around her, and now she felt hot suddenly. She had to close her eyes for a bit to get used to the faint light in the shed. The shiny rays of light were squeezing trough the small window, and Tea looked at her watch. It was past nine and she stiffened a yawn. When she spotted the table, she could only see a candle on it.

The thief was gone, and when she wanted to open the doors to get at least a breath of fresh air, she found the doors unmoving and already imagined the thief sealing her from the outside.

"Figures," she muttered and sighed. Then again, what did she expect? That he would let her walk freely trough the streets?

She let out a tortured sigh and plopped sown on the ground again. When she thought about the previous night, she almost clasped a hand across her mouth. She told herself to stay awake and yet she still fell asleep. Tea shuddered again when she thought what the thief might've done to her during the night. Shaking her head quickly, she repressed the images somewhere back in her subconscious and let out a deep breath. 

She was exhausted, tired and hungry...she couldn't even remember when was the last time she had a decent meal...or at least a snack. She wished she could pour herself some milk right now and saturate it with a handful of cereals...

She prayed for the thief to at least bring her _something_ to eat...as long as that something wasn't a rat or something similar to that...

It was silent for a while, and Tea started thinking about everything that happened just a day ago...and just a couple of days ago, she was anxious to finally see Egypt and the pyramids and all the sights...and what happened? She got kidnapped by a thief, and chased down by a group of creepy floating monsters in cloaks...

Tea hid her face in her hands; how she wished that to be just a bad dream...how she wished to wake up in her bed and then take a shower...meet Yuugi and Mai...

A soft noise coming from the outside interrupted her ramblings and startled her. She got up quickly, wrapping the blanket for a moral support around her. The noise was becoming louder and Tea's eyes widened in fear. If the noise was coming from those creatures with cloaks, she was dead. She had nowhere to go and nowhere to run. She backed away from the doors as far as possible and now she was huddled in the corner, opposite of the doors. She doubted she would even have a chance to fight for her life if they would trap her in this shed...if the person out there wasn't Bakura...

The doors creaked open and a mop of white hair shone on the sun for just a second before the doors closed, and the shadows consumed the shed again. Bakura entered the shed hastily, and sealed the doors from the inside this time, the heavy chunk of wood falling across the wooden doors with a thump. Tea sighed in relief, actually happy to see her kidnaper, and without even thinking, she cried out in relief, rushed to the thief who was just about to present her a bag he brought, and hugged him with all her might.

"Oh, thank God it's you!" She exclaimed, holding him tightly, happy that it was him who came back and not the herd of the cloaked monsters.

Bakura was left with raised hand in the air, wanting to say that he had brought her something to eat, but now he was simply left with mouth agape, staring at the girl in shock. He wanted to do something, but he was completely taken aback with the girl's gesture and was completely clueless of what to do. So, he simply gaped at the girl in disbelief.

"I already thought those creepy men came back and..."

A mute and dead silence followed suddenly, in which only flies were heard, zooming outside the shed and around the small room. Tea froze, her whole body stiff and rigid like a statue. It wasn't until now that she realized just what she did, and what kind of foolish thing she just made. 

She could feel his breath on her forehead, warm and tickling, and she could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. And on top of it all, she was so close to him that she could sense the muscles clenching underneath his shirt, also stiff and frozen.

Slowly and fearfully, she inched away until she got far enough to see his face that was just a few inches away from hers. She dared to look into his eyes, and swallowed, hard, her eyes wide with fear and shock. Dark, ominous pools were staring back at her, wide and shocked as well.

Bakura couldn't remember the last time when someone hugged him. When he thought about it, he realized that he had never been hugged by anyone in his entire life. And now, this girl locked her hands around his neck and hugged him like he was her best friend...the feeling was intimidating and captivating at the same time. Of course, if someone else had hugged him, he would throw and kick him away immediately, but this...this was something completely different.

Tea opened her mouth to say she was sorry, to apologize a hundred times, to beg for mercy, but somehow she couldn't utter a word. The thief's eyes were more interesting right now and Tea got lost in them. It was now, when she was so close to him that she noticed the dark and mysterious orbs that glistened in the dark, the way his hair fell across his forehead, and the way his skin was smooth and tanned...when she looked at him now, Tea came to the conclusion that the thief was actually quite handsome. Right after that thought she blushed beat red, mentally kicking herself for thinking about him in _that_ way...

As much as Bakura wanted to simply push her away and tell her not to touch him ever again, he couldn't. She was too close not to notice her porcelain like skin, and the way her cheeks were pink, in contrast to her cerulean  eyes. Her hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders, dark and silky, and her lips were parted, almost inviting him to...

The bag from his fingers slipped suddenly and fell down to the ground with a thud. Both of them jumped, snapping out of the spell that managed to appear suddenly between them. Tea backed away quickly from him, unclasping her hands from his neck while he leaned down to pick up the brown bag, made of rough fabric. 

Tea's face was still flustered, and she wanted desperately to run away somewhere, but unfortunately, that was impossible right now. So, she simply turned her back to the thief, clasping a hand across her face in embarrassment. How that could happen, was beyond her, but...it made her heart flutter for a minute, and that...was not good. She couldn't – he was a thief, and he kidnapped her, and...the only reason he took her was to exchange her life for the bust...

Something sank down to the pit of her stomach and Tea shook her head, telling herself to get real.

Bakura composed himself faster then her, and now he approached the table and put the bag onto it, letting it loose and it opened, three apples rolling out of it. 

"Here," he said, snapping her out of her thoughts and she turned to look at him, and barely had the time to catch an apple, aimed at her face. She caught it, observing it for a while, but she was too hungry to think about washing it up now...not that she had a place to wash the apple in the first place.

Bakura snatched his from the table and almost smirked when he saw the girl ravishing the apple. He figured she was hungry, but he didn't think she was _that_ hungry. 

Tea enjoyed the sour sweet taste of the apple, almost savoring it. Her expression saddened for a second; she thought briefly about the chance of eating an apple again...then as if on cue, she stopped chewing, and looked at the thief grimly.

"What?" He asked her nonchalantly, but frowned.

"Where did you get this?" She asked him, watching him intently.

Bakura smirked and shrugged. "I stole it, of course."

Tea's suspicions were proven right and now she was staring at him in some kind of astonishment. She just ate a stolen apple...an apple that was stolen from some poor man on the street market, and...she practically became his partner in crime now. Tea let out a strangled choke.

"You stole them?!"

Bakura's eyes narrowed now slightly, and he stopped chewing on his apple. He returned the girl's glare and snorted.

"And what do you think how I'm surviving here, stupid girl?"

Tea was taken aback with his rather mean reply and she frowned now, her eyes blazing with anger and fury. She put the apple on the table, not bothering to eat it anymore...although there wasn't much left anyway. Bakura understood her action and snarled.

"Suit yourself! But don't wail after, demanding something to eat!" He replied back coolly, and snatching the last piece of his prey, he bit into the apple and turned his back to her.

Tea felt a chilly sensation in the pit of her stomach...she couldn't believe that she just ate a stolen apple. But then again, she told herself, what did you expect from a common thief and a fraud...

The sudden feeling sent other repressed emotions back up her throat and she suddenly felt so miserable and pitiful that it made her eyes fill with tears. She forgot just what kind of situation she was in, and now it came back at her again, eating at her from the inside.

She wanted to leave, she wanted to escape and run away...run away from the thief, from the monsters in cloaks, from the museum...she wanted to get on that plane and she wanted to go home...

"I want to go home," she whispered quietly, lowering her head and clenching her fists tightly by her sides. She let one single tear fall down her cheek, and it fell down onto the muddy floor, creating a small dark stain on it.

"I want to go home," she repeated, louder this time as she bit back on a sob, but couldn't entirely repress it. The sob was heard and it made Bakura turn around. 

He saw the girl standing in the middle of the shed with lowered head, and a stiff demeanor. He thought he heard her say something, but didn't bother to look. The sob, however, he couldn't ignore.

"What is it now? You regret the apple?" he asked her, mockery evident in his voice.

Tea has had enough. She raised her head sharply, letting her hair jump slightly around her face. The tear streaked face, red eyes full of fury, anger and despair caught the thief off guard.

"I want to go home!"

Her scream echoed slightly trough the shed, and Bakura's eyes widened slightly. She was too loud, and he knew that she was definitely heard if someone passed by the shed near enough.

"Shut up!" He sneered, but that just made her more anxious and angrier.

"No!" She retorted angrily, wiping the tears from her face with her hand, "I will not shut up!"

Bakura growled, gritting his teeth; if she decided to keep it up like that, she could probably wake the dead.

"I hate this! I hate you! I'm sick and tired of this whole thing! I hate it! I hate it! I HATE IT! I want to go HOME!"

Bakura covered his ears in a desperate try to save his hearing. The girl stopped screaming now, but it only got worse – she was crying now freely, sobbing and choking on every word she wanted to say.

"Will you be quiet already?" He snarled, clenching his fists angrily, sick and tired of the girl himself. Tea didn't care; all the anguish, pain and misery were welling up in her for too long, and now, they simply had to get out somehow. And she didn't care if she was crying; she couldn't take it anymore.

Bakura couldn't take it anymore, as well. He retrieved his knife, and was in front of her in a second. The knife was raised in the air as a warning, his eyes narrowed and glistening, his demeanor rigid and dangerous.

"If you want to live, shut up," he sneered, keeping his voice down. Tea's eyes widened for a second, before she hiccupped and raised her head, eyes full of anger and...dare.

"Go ahead! Kill me! I don't want to live! I don't care!"

Her desperate reply surprised him and he was taken aback again...he just didn't understand the girl – first she hugged him, and he actually felt good about it, then she screamed at him and now she wanted to die and she didn't care what happened with her life...

He growled, the sound threatening and deep. He was irritated and annoyed by the girl already and he subscribed her behavior to another annoying thing related to women. He had enough as well, and before she could say anything, he put the knife back into his robes, and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her a few times.

"Now listen!" He hissed, leaning down towards her to glare at her, "I don't care what happens to you. I want the damn bust, and I will get it! And you will help me with the plan!"

Tea was staring at him now, trying to keep her eyes away from his face, and concentrated on the tiny specks of dust, flying trough the ray of sunshine that was casting a beam of light trough the window instead. 

"After I get the bust, do whatever you want with your life! Kill yourself for all I care! But until that, you will help me get that bust, and that will be tonight!" He added vehemently, gripping her shoulders tighter, so she almost winced in pain.

"Follow the plan and you'll be free after I get the bust – on that I give you my word...after that, do whatever you want." He finished, breathing deeply and trying to calm his temper. Tea's eyes were shut, another pair of forgotten tears rolling down her, now pale face.

"You're hurting me," she managed to whisper, indicating at the pain in her upper arms where he had a tight grip on her. He frowned now, and loosened his grip slightly on her, but didn't let her go.

"Did you understand?" He asked her, forcing her to look him in the eye. Tea's eyes were almost empty now, the spark of azure gone from them. She nodded mutely, and he let go of her.

"As soon as I'm done with the plan, I'll tell you about it...and you better follow it," with that, he grabbed the brown bag from the table, and went to the doors. He raised the wooden chunk of wood off of them and stepped out. He cast one glance at her before closing the doors behind him. Tea could hear him sealing the doors from the outside.

After she was sure he was gone, she plopped on the ground lifelessly, covering her face within her hands and sobbing softly. She knew she would have to endure the whole thing for the sake of her friends, but somehow...she had a nagging feeling that it won't be that simple...

***

"This is ridiculous!" Seto Kaiba barked and was ready to get up from the table and storm down the hall.

They were all up for the whole night, but Shadi's story and the legend managed to keep everyone awake...they all had large dark circles under their eyes, but that didn't really matter.

"Kaiba, wait!" Yuugi yelled after him, but Shadi was already ready for that. He stood up abruptly, stopping him with a movement of his hand.

"This is about your destiny, and about the future of the world!" He exclaimed, trying to make the impulsive man calm down. Kaiba snorted, and stood up as well.

"It's up to me and me only to decide about my destiny!" He retorted angrily, glaring daggers in Shadi's way. He was ready to leave them all when Shadi spoke again.

"Then you wish to endanger the future of your brother as well?"

Kaiba turned around so swiftly that it looked as if he someone spun him around.

"Don't you DARE involve my brother into this!"

"Your brother is already involved, Seto Kaiba!" Shadi replied, raising his voice for just a bit, "We all are!"

Serenity clasped her hands, and turned to look at the hotheaded CEO.

"Please, Mr. Kaiba," she said softly, begging him to calm down. He didn't look at her, but he stopped with his intentions of leaving for now.

Shadi sighed and sat down again, showing his old chair. "Please, Seto Kaiba, sit down."

Kaiba was standing aside a bit, before he reluctantly sat down again, crossing his arms and glaring at the man with a turban. Serenity sighed in relief, while others were simply watching the whole scene intently.

Silence followed for a few seconds, before Mai broke it, almost wearily.

"So, what do we do now?"

Shadi was looking at Kaiba for a few more seconds, waiting for him to cool down before he redirected his eyes to look at the blond journalist.

"We shall wait," he replied calmly.

Others exchanged curious and confused glances between the two who seemed to be the reincarnations of the ancient Souls and the man who called himself a Prophet.

"Wait? Why?" Tristan asked and Joey and Ishizu leaned forward in anticipation of the answer.

"We shall wait for someone to come tonight," Shadi replied calmly again and almost smiled which made others even more apprehensive.

"For who?" Yuugi asked this time, the curiosity getting the best of him, too.

Shadi smiled this time mysteriously, almost conspiratorially and leaned in his chair, relaxing slightly.

"For the third Soul." 


	12. Visions

Disclaimer: Hi there! *waves then puts one giant panda with a wooden sign **_I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh_** in front of everyone to see* ...Oh, yeah *points to the panda*  - don't own him, either! ^_^ 

**A/N**

Okay...sorry it took me some time to write this chapter but I finally passed that bloody driving test so I was out of it all for a while...ahem, right. Anyway, thanks for the reviews and I hope you'll like this chapter and review further. *happy grin*

**The legend of the three Souls**

**Chapter XI – Visions**

-by Alena S. Anigor

***

A small crowd of people were standing in front of the doors of the museum, wondering why they couldn't open them and not comprehending why was the 'closed' sign turned on for everyone to see instead of the 'open' one. It was past nine in the morning and it was Monday – and as they presumed, the museum should've been opened by now. 

One taller man, apparently a tour guide explained something to the people behind him and some of them frowned and some of them nodded in confusion. One of them, an older man with glasses and grayish hair mumbled something in German and walked away angrily, huffing.

The crowd of people turned and left, and Ishizu sighed, observing them from the nearby. She could see them but they couldn't see her, which was just fine, because she was in no mood for explanations why she decided to close the museum. When they vanished down the street, she skipped to the doors and carefully hung a note, written on a piece of paper that said 'closed until further notice'. She sighed heavily, wishing she could open the doors of the museum and let everyone in but circumstances were against her will and she was forced to do that. Besides, she didn't know how could she let someone in and then let them roam around the museum when there was a kidnapped girl missing, and her hall was full of people sleeping soundly on the floor like they haven't slept in ages. The only one who was not asleep was a certain CEO who was strolling absentmindedly down the museum's corridors, observing artifacts and mummies that were exhibited.

Turning around, she headed towards the main hall and almost stumbled when she accidentally hit Joey's hand. She smiled softly, noticing how he was sprawled all over the floor, his right hand near Tristan's nose, hanging loosely in the air. Mai and Serenity were sleeping a few feet away; Mai turned on her hip, blondish hair pooling around her while Serenity was turned with her back to her, breathing deeply in her sleep. They all seemed to dream peacefully except the young man with spiky hair who was frowning ever so slightly in his dreams and jerking. 

Ishizu's face saddened when she remembered how it was mainly her fault for all the mess that happened. If only she had let go of the legend and never decided to start looking for the Souls...

She flinched visibly when she felt a hand resting on her shoulder. Turning around she saw a serious and cool expression of the man with a turban. Shadi was looking at her calmly, as if the whole situation was nothing more than a mere dream, not concerning him at all. 

She presumed he was trying to read her thoughts when he told her a few seconds later that it wasn't her fault.

"You must not blame yourself, Ishizu Ishtar," he said quietly, his voice carrying a note of comfort in it, sounding soothing and gentle. Ishizu wondered for a moment how he could be so calm and stoic when everything seemed like a disaster to her; a complete catastrophe. As if on cue, he shook his head and closed his eyes slowly.

"It was destined to happen," he spoke calmly, "it was our destiny to meet, and it was your destiny to find the Soul and reveal the legend. In my visions, Ishizu Ishtar, you are the _instigator._"

Ishizu looked at him strangely, now starting to think that the man was able to read minds. When he smiled after that thought that crossed her mind, an odd chill ran down her spine and she suppressed the sudden urge to shudder. 

"The instigator?" she asked him, confused and even startled for a moment. Shadi nodded in that same calm and peaceful manner, bluish eyes penetrating and she had a feeling that he could indeed read minds and see into people's souls.

"The one who shall start everything," he explained knowledgeably and then retrieved his hand from her shoulder. Ishizu was perplexed for a moment, staring into the deep depths of his eyes, trying to comprehend the extent of his powers. If he was the _Prophet_...then he must've known what would happen for a long time already. Ishizu stared at him, mystified and stiff, amazed by the young man in front of her.

He turned around and pointed behind her and she jerked, snapping out of her stupor. When she turned around, she noticed Mai yawning and eyeing them sleepily, wiping her eyes. 

"What time is it?" she asked groggily, observing her surroundings and trying to see where she was. When she noticed the familiar hall around her, she groaned and plopped down on the floor again. Ishizu smiled a bit, looking at her watch.

"Near ten," she answered and Mai stiffened a yawn. She looked around, wanting to get up and bumped Serenity in the process. The younger Wheeler stirred a bit and opened her eyes soon after. Mai smiled sheepishly and muttered 'sorry'. Serenity looked tired as well, the lack of sleep evident on her pale face and dark circles under her eyes. 

Mai stretched lazily, getting up and almost stepping on Tristan's hand. She managed to graze his finger however and he mumbled something, turning around and hitting Joey on the head. Ishizu watched in awe the domino effect in front of her eyes: when Tristan hit Joey, he growled and turning around, practically slapped Yuugi who grimaced and opened a pair of violet and drained looking eyes. His face was pale and he looked exhausted and bleary. Soon, murmurs and grumbles filled the quiet atmosphere in the hall, as they started to get up from their slumber. 

When Ishizu turned to see where Shadi was, he was already sitting behind the table, relaxed in his chair, observing them all with ardent eyes. 

"I'm hungry...do you have anything to eat?" Mai mumbled, stiffening another yawn with her hand. Ishizu let out a surprised 'oh'. Amidst all the things that happened, it didn't even occur to her that they hadn't eaten anything since that dinner at the restaurant. Her stomach growled at the sheer thought of the fine food at the restaurant and she lowered her head, ashamed that she forgot to treat her guests properly.

"Can you order pizza here?" Mai asked on which Joey and Serenity exchanged strange glances. Tristan scratched his head.

"Pizza?" he looked at Ishizu who raised her eyebrows in puzzlement, "Uhm...I don't think so." He added dejectedly and Mai's face faltered. Yuugi was still looking rather dazed until he heard footsteps coming from the corridor nearby. 

Everyone turned their heads when Seto Kaiba walked in. His trench coat billowed slightly as he was approaching them. His face revealed his usual cold and haughty expression, his eyes icy and sharp. He didn't bother to look at Joey who was the nearest to the corridor, nor he bothered to say anything to them. When he stopped in front of the table where Shadi was sitting, he crossed his hands and lowering his head, directed his demanding gaze at him.

"How long do we have to wait for this..._Soul_?" he asked, gritting his teeth at the mention of the last word. He was still convinced that Shadi was playing some kind of sick joke on him and he still refused to believe that he was the supposed reincarnation of the Second Soul.

Shadi greeted him with 'good morning' on which he just glared. Joey grunted, mumbling something about conceited bastards under his breath. When Kaiba turned to look at him with narrowed eyes, Joey simply narrowed his as well and they glared at each other for a while, before Shadi decided to break the charade.

"Till the evening," he replied calmly, closing his eyes. Kaiba turned to look at the man with turban, his expression revealing a slight disbelief.

"Till the _evening_?" He almost hissed, irritation and anger breaking trough his usual cold façade, "you expect me to stay here till the evening?! You must be mad!" he added, now dangerously close to being furious. Shadi observed him for a while, before he opened his mouth to speak again.

"Your stay here, Seto Kaiba, is crucial, therefore, may I ask you to sit and calm down?"

Kaiba looked at him, perplexed. He couldn't believe the man was actually giving him orders and demanding from him to follow them. Nobody has _ever_ ordered _him._ His fists clenched by his sides, and when he was about to yell at him that he could go to hell with his legends and fairytales, Shadi got up so quickly that the chair behind him fell with a loud thud.

"Seto Kaiba!" He shouted, his voice thundering trough the spacious hall and startling everyone who was currently in it. Serenity and Mai gasped, becoming afraid of the sudden change of behavior in the calm and composed man. Yuugi and the boys, together with Ishizu were staring at him, shocked and slightly frightened by the powerful demeanor Shadi was suddenly showing. Kaiba, though, seemed even more agitated than he already was. He was looking at him intently, almost wanting to burn holes trough the Prophet. 

Shadi forced himself to breathe deeply, trying to control his actions and choosing his next words carefully. He closed his eyes and sighed, lowering his head to look at the table's surface. As much as he wanted to look at Kaiba, he couldn't bear to look into his eyes and to see such swirl of emotions, to see such cold and ruthless soul resting inside the tall and powerful CEO.

"I beg you, Seto Kaiba," he bowed his head slightly, gripping the edges of the table tightly, "please stay. When the evening comes, things shall become clear to you, be assure of that."

Nobody dared to speak or even breathe as the atmosphere in the hall became tense; the air becoming sultry and if the looks could kill, Kaiba wouldn't just kill everyone by now, but he would probably wipe out the whole museum by now. He glowered at Shadi, almost slicing him with penetrating blue eyes, his mind thinking rapidly and trying to come with an adequate solution.

He could just leave; leave this stupid museum in the hands of that woman, and give up on the bust...he could simply turn around and ignore the crowd of losers around him and a weirdo who obviously watched too many science fiction movies. He could go to hospital and be by Mokuba's side...doing his job on his laptop now...

But something was telling him that he should stay, non the less...he couldn't pinpoint the little voice in his head that was telling him to stay, but he had a strange impulse, a strange feeling that overwhelmed him suddenly and before he wanted to simply snort, turn around to leave and ignore the voice in his head, a sudden flash of light appeared in front of his eyes and he closed them shut tightly, wanting to get rid of it. He growled, lowering his head into his hand and the rest of the crowd around him stared at him, perplexed and confused. It looked like the CEO was in pain, struck by immense headache. 

No one even thought of the idea that he was currently experiencing visions that dashed trough his mind, almost ripping his head in half, pain pulsating and making him squirm and grit his teeth.

He bent slightly and Serenity wanted to approach him and ask him if everything was all right, but Joey stopped her, afraid for her safety.

Ishizu and others watched him, now starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. Whatever it was that was happening to the tall man in front of them wasn't quite enjoyable because he was clenching his fist tightly, his other hand resting firmly on his forehead, shading his eyes. Shadi's eyes were slightly wide though, as the realization hit him – he was experiencing the same thing he was experiencing since he was a child...

Kaiba wanted to yell and scream out loud for the blasted light to go away and leave him alone, but the light only intensified, almost blinding him although his eyes were shut tightly. The painful throbbing in his head increased, making him flinch and dig his fingers into the soft flesh of his palm. The light was getting brighter and brighter until it finally vanished and he almost gasped when the sudden flashes disappeared and made room for another set of images, these being clear and almost touchable.

He was standing suddenly in the middle of the room, watching the young man who was sitting in a chair that was similar to a throne. The young man smiled at him gently before the image faded and another one popped out of the bright light. This one was different – he was now in pain, lying on the ground, half dead. He could hear voices around him, some of them screaming, and some of them crying. What he saw next made him shudder as he met a pair of malevolent emerald eyes and hands of a cloaked shadows crawling all over him. He wanted to scream and cry out but he couldn't. The next second, image disappeared again and was replaced by two people, one of them looking so familiar, offering him a hand and he got up to see fire burning around him, destroyed village and wrecked construction that resembled a palace. He sudden felt such despair and misery that it threatened to shatter him into a wreck himself but two men in front of him held him, one of them raising his hands towards the sky. He felt himself raising his as well, and he could feel his lips moving, hear himself saying words he had never heard before. The fire flashed around them and the sky darkened rapidly, and he almost gasped in amazement when three figures, surrounded by a tremendous light appeared in front of them, occupying the whole sky. 

The figure in the middle, reached for him, light becoming brighter again, a sudden rush of power and electricity surging trough him, making him strong and weak at the same time, overwhelming him completely and he fell on his knees, closing his eyes...

"Kaiba!"

He jerked so violently that Yuugi and Tristan stepped back in shock, scared and stunned by the CEO who was now kneeling on the floor of the main hall, breathing rapidly and shaking tremendously. His eyes were still closed but when he opened them, they were wide pools of blue, seeming out of focus. Everyone stared at him, shocked and alarmed by the whole incident.

"Kaiba, are you all right?" Yuugi asked him and when he raised his eyes to look at him, they widened even more, and he was watching the spiky haired boy in some sort of wonder and...recognition.

"Yuugi..." he murmured absentmindedly, still observing him as if he hadn't seen him in ages and now he finally met him again.

Yuugi opened his mouth in confusion, now baffled and puzzled with the CEO's behavior.

"Uh...yeah?" He asked him apprehensively, stepping back a bit just in case if the man beneath him decided to go berserk again.  

Kaiba closed his eyes, thoughts racing in his mind wildly; the images still too fresh and too real to forget. The pulsating pain in his head started to subside slowly and after a few moments vanished as hastily as it came. He focused on the floor of the hall, the tiles slowly becoming clear again and he wondered for a second what just happened and why Yuugi seemed so familiar when he looked at him a few moments ago.

And what were those...

He got up quickly, putting two fingers on the bridge of his nose in an attempt to clarify what just took place in front of his eyes. When he looked at Shadi, the first random thought that came to his mind was 'it was his fault!' He roared angrily, now glaring at him again and Yuugi and Tristan stepped back quickly, already afraid he'd go crazy again.

"What did you do to me?!" He shouted in fury, eyes blazing with a deep shade of blue. Shadi wore a blank expression on his face that was completely unreadable to all of them. When he realized what was going on, he felt a sudden satisfaction that it left him simply amazed.

Shadi let out a silent 'hmph' and sat back in his chair. That seemed to infuriate Kaiba even more because he showed him his grinded teeth and almost snarled.

"Answer me!" 

Shadi, when he finally settled in his chair again, gave him the simplest answer.

"Visions."

Silence.

Everyone except Kaiba gaped at him.

The hall was quiet again but not for long.

"Visions? _Visions_?!" Kaiba screamed, now on the verge of bewilderment, "what the hell was that supposed to mean!?"

Shadi gave him a blank look again and Ishizu could've sworn that he was actually enjoying the moment.

"You experienced something I've been experiencing all my life, Seto Kaiba," he replied coolly, explaining the situation as it was the most common thing in the world, "you saw what happened 5000 years ago...you saw your past and you saw your future as well...you saw your destiny."

"Bullshit!" came the not so subtle reply of the CEO. Serenity's eyes widened slightly and she gasped while Joey yelled at him to watch his mouth.

"I will say whatever I want to say you simpleton!"

"Hey! Watch it, you stuck – up piece of – "

"Joey!"

"Come on, that's enough!"

"If he wants to pick fights, fine by me!"

"Joey, please calm down!"

"You wouldn't last a second anyway."

"Oh, yeah, why don't you come here so I can show you how much can _you_ last you arrogant basta – "

"WOULD YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP ALREADY?!"

Silence followed again in which everyone froze and gawked at Ishizu who looked like she could burn holes trough the hall. She was standing stiffly, breathing rapidly. Her own vision started to get blurry from the impending tears, and she was struggling not to shake out of anger and grief.

"Tea is kidnapped, someone is after the bust and after our lives, Yuugi's grandfather and Kaiba's brother ended up in a hospital, we are constantly under attack and all you an do is fight and argue like seven year olds! You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

No one said another word after Ishizu's outburst; they all hung their head in mute apologies, staring at the floor thoughtfully. True – in all that mess that happened, they seemed to forget about Solomon and Mokuba, and about Tea who was, as they presumed, kidnapped by some hideous monster and wondered if she was still alive in the first place...

"You shouldn't worry about Tea."

Ishizu and everyone spun around to look at an almost amused expression on Shadi's face. He was smiling slightly, observing for a while the whole fight and waiting until it had finally stopped. Yuugi frowned in confusion and Mai's face revealed hope.

"What do you mean?" he asked, still feeling a bit lightheaded from the whole incident. Shadi craned his neck aside a bit and smiled again.

"She is fine and...she shall also come tonight."

"What?" Mai almost shrieked in excitement while others gaped at the Prophet. As if sensing their anticipation and impatience he almost chuckled...almost. He knew that there would come some serious situations to handle in the near future but those people around him were making him smile always involuntarily. He had never thought that being surrounded by them would make him feel so content and happy...Something he lacked when he was a child and everyone was avoiding him the best they could. Now, the loneliness he was consumed with was finally blown away like a speck of sand and he allowed himself to smile brightly at the crowd of people.

However, that gesture made them all shudder from the inside as he could feel, but he didn't mind.

He crossed his fingers on the table and opened him mouth to speak again.

"Seto Kaiba, I beg you once again to stay here, and as for Tea...yes, she shall come tonight as well."

"But...how? Did she escape?"

Shadi shook his head but kept his smile on his face.

"No, not quite, but...she shall come...together with the Third Soul."


	13. Meet the thief

Disclaimer: I'm seriously pondering if I could come with a good excuse for this thing in the future...But for now, you'll just have to be satisfied with an old fashioned 'I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh' disclaimer...

**A/N**

Ehh...falling behind with the updates again...yes, yes – I know. Please, forgive my posting hiatus...had some personal problems and all, and I still have them but I thought writing another chapter might cheer me up a bit and direct my thoughts away from the current situation. I hope you still like this story and thank you for your support and reviews.

**The legend of the Three souls**

**Chapter XII – Meet the thief**

-by Alena S. Anigor

***

People were roaming down the dusty streets, some of them carrying wooden baskets on their heads and some of them dragging little wheels behind them, crammed full with vegetables and other groceries. Women were strolling down the streets, various veils covering their faces from exposure. The only natural source of light and energy was starting to set slowly on the horizon, painting the sky with warm, reddish colors and making the sand glisten on the street.

Tea could see that it was getting dark; judging by the light coming from the small window on the muddy wall and by the way the sky looked like. She presumed it was about seven, eight o' clock in the afternoon and that the night would come soon, and with the night, the thief would also come back and demand from her to follow his ludicrous plan.

She sighed, plopping down onto the cold ground and tightening the blanket around her, trying to find some sort of comfort in it. It didn't matter if the blanket was dirty and torn, as long as it enveloped her and gave her the feeling of someone embracing her, she was feeling content. She was thinking for a while about her current situation, until she let her thoughts wander in other direction...She started thinking about the simplest things that awaited her at home: her house, although lacking other members, but warm and safe...her friends from the college, Mai knocking on her door every day to take her on the ride to the city so they could chat about cute guys...Yuugi, with his face always hidden behind the book about ancient Egypt...

She smiled involuntarily; it was him who introduced her to the ancient Egyptian mythology in the first place, and she was surprised by just how much she got interested in it...

She clutched the reddish blanket tighter around her shoulders when she blinked and the pleasant memories faded away like a beautiful dream. Yuugi was now God knows where, and she wasn't sure if Mai was still with him...and she didn't know for sure if they were looking for her, if they notified anyone about her disappearance. She even missed old grandpa Mutou who would always cause a mess everywhere he would show up...

Now, she wondered if they were really trying to find her or they forgot all about her completely and flied back home, leaving her to rot in the muddy shed, with no water, no food and with a dangerous individual as Bakura.

She let out a sniffle, fighting against the tears that started to threaten to fall, but she didn't want to cry again, and she wiped her eyes angrily, staring sharply at the wall opposite of her. She could see the tiny ray of sunlight that crept trough the small window and she concentrated on the specks of dust flying trough it in order to stop thinking about her friends and how could they all be together now, laughing and making jokes...

She redirected her gaze towards the window to barely see a bird flying by. The sky was now turning into a darker shade of purple and she sighed, taking a deep breath as her chest heaved slightly. She dragged her knees up to her face, enveloping them with her hands and resting her chin on them, observing the sky with a mixture of sadness and longing. She wanted so desperately to get out, to take a breath of fresh air, instead of being trapped in this shed like a bird in a cage. 

Tea smiled bitterly; she would breath the air all right when the thief comes back. She remembered his words about letting her go if she followed his plan precisely. She thought for a moment what kind of plan would that turn out to be, because she had a wary feeling about the whole thing.   

Just when she was about let out another tortured sigh again, she heard a ruffling sound coming from outside and she quickly stood up, backing up against the opposite corner just in case. When the doors creaked open and Bakura stepped in, her shoulders slumped in relief, her demeanor becoming more relaxed. He eyed her suspiciously for a moment, before he closed the doors and let the wooden chunk fall over them again. The shed was becoming darker by a minute and Tea couldn't see his face clearly; she could only see his slender figure moving around the shed hastily.

When he turned around to look at her, she was trying to see his expression but he was consumed by shadows and she couldn't define a thing on his face. When he approached her however, and grabbed her by the hand, she jerked slightly out of a reflex before he pulled her closer to him. Now, she could see his face very well, and she almost regretted it.

Bakura's eyes were hard and cold, a spark of malice glistening in them and Tea suddenly felt vulnerable and helpless. The fear that crept slowly up her throat was there as well, making the whole situation even worse. She started to shiver slightly, but the thief didn't seem to notice.

Bakura could see the scared expression on her face and almost smirked but decided to stay composed and controlled. In some bizarre way, the look of fright in someone's eyes made him feel superior and made him feel some kind of inner satisfaction that he managed to cause that fear. 

The girl was watching him intently, and he could feel a slight tremor surging trough her hand but he ignored it. In the past few hours, he had been strolling down the street, thinking madly about the plan and about the bust, and now, when he had finally managed to come up with one, he could feel a triumphing sensation overwhelming him. The girl would be used as a distraction, and while her buddies would be occupied by her appearance, he would have enough time to sneak into that room and take the bust. The girl would have to play her role perfectly, of course, but he'd make sure of that.

"Now, listen," he said slowly, his voice cold and demanding, "I have come up with a plan, and you will follow it, if you want to see your friends again...understood?"

Tea was staring at him, trying to comprehend the words he was saying, but his eyes captivated her, dark and ominous, making her feel slightly woozy. When his eyes narrowed slightly, she snapped out of her daze, and nodded sharply.

"I understand."

Bakura allowed himself to smirk this time and made Tea gulp. She wasn't sure what was happening to her, but what ever it was, it had something to do with a thief in front of her, and she smacked herself mentally for even allowing herself to let her emotions take over her. Instead, she placed a cool mask on her face, and decided to suppress the sudden awkward feelings that started to make her feel confused and lost. The thief was dangerous, she reminded herself and placing that thought as her main priority, she dared to look at him again to see him looking at her intently. 

Bakura was slightly puzzled now; the girl's expression turned from frightened into a calm one, and he was once again left baffled by her changes in behavior. He dismissed the thoughts quickly after that and leaned down to meet her face.

"Now," he almost whispered, making Tea squirm slightly, "listen carefully."

***

The afternoon in the museum passed rather slowly for their current visitors.

While Kaiba was still rather hesitant to stay or to leave the museum, others decided to spend their time by strolling down the corridors and observing the exhibited artifacts. Serenity was fascinated the most by one giant mummy that was lying on a wooden table, protected and shielded by a glass window. Beneath the mummy was a little tag, saying that the mummy was fond near the ancient pyramids. It was brown, almost black, the skeleton lying steadily on the table. The hands of the mummy were lying on his chest, crossed one over another. The expression was somewhat frightening, since the skull looked quite creepy to the younger Wheeler.

Joey and Tristan were debating whether the mummy was a male or a female, before Ishizu approached them, and cleared the situation out, pointing at the skeleton and explaining that the bone structure indicated that the mummy was a male.

Mai stayed in the main hall, trying to persuade Shadi to give her more information about Tea's whereabouts until she gave up, getting tired of his 'you shall see tonight' replies. In the end, she tried to lure him into giving her an interview, which he politely declined. Yuugi was the only one who was the most troubled by the whole situation and was becoming anxious. He couldn't wait till the evening when, as Shadi told him, some things would become clearer to him and the rest of them. He brushed a few bangs from his forehead absentmindedly and was just about to turn behind a corner when he bumped into something solid and hard. When he opened his eyes, rubbing his sore nose, he had to raise his head a bit to see an annoyed expression on Seto Kaiba's face. He greeted him with a half – glare, obviously still thinking that the whole _Soul_ thing was a hoax.

"Oh, Kaiba, uhm...hi," Yuugi mumbled, slightly apprehensive of the young man in front of him. Kaiba crossed his hands and wanted to stroll down the hall past him, when Yuugi suddenly found himself asking him something he just needed to ask.

"What did you see?"

Kaiba stopped in mid track, his demeanor becoming rigid and almost threatening. He slowly turned his head around to look at the smaller young man behind him. Yuugi's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, surprised by his own boldness. Kaiba's eyes narrowed and before Yuugi could say anything, Kaiba threw him a real glare this time and started walking again.

"None of your business."

Yuugi was left with mouth slightly agape, and his shoulders sagged in relief. As much as he wanted to think otherwise, the CEO was simply intimidating sometimes and he wondered briefly, what made him the way he was today.

He turned around, not in the mood to look at the artifacts anymore. He realized after a moment of observing the place around him that he already passed trough that hall at least a couple of times but hadn't noticed that. With a shake of his head, he decided to head towards the main hall. Glancing at his watch, he sighed when he saw that it was past ten and he started feeling anxious again, his stomach tying into knots from the anticipation of the third Soul.

"Oh, come on! Just one word!" Mai was pleading, intertwining her fingers to beg Shadi to spill out some information. The man with a turban simply smiled and calmly shook his head no. Mai frowned, growling under her breath before Serenity interrupted her fruitless attempts to find anything about Tea.

Joey and Tristan followed close behind, the looks of boredom and irritation evident on their faces. Ishizu came out behind the curtain of the hall, carrying a wooden box in her hands.

Mai pointed at her with raised eyebrows.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Ishizu glanced at the box in her hands then nodded. Mai frowned and the guides looked at her oddly.

"What is in it?" Tristan asked, eyeing the box suspiciously. 

"The bust of the Second Soul," she replied, putting the box carefully on the table where Shadi was sitting at. She looked at him for a moment, as if asking him for permission, before she reached into her pocket and drew out a small key. Putting the key into the lock, it made a clicking sound before the box opened slightly and she pulled the wooden doors open, taking the bust in her hands. She observed it for a while before putting it cautiously onto the table. Silence followed after that in which everyone stared at the little bust of a man with a scarab embedded into the crown he was wearing. 

Somewhere in that time, Yuugi entered the hall, and took his position near Tristan to look at the cause of all their problems. He would never mention that out loud but he almost felt a strange bitterness when looking at the clay - like bust.

When Kaiba entered the hall shortly after that, Shadi fixed his sharp gaze onto him, and taking the bust in his hands, he motioned him to join them. Kaiba, with his hands crossed and wearing his trade - mark glare, reluctantly approached them and would've glared at them all for the rest of the evening if there wasn't for the little thing in Shadi's hands.

Kaiba's eyes widened slightly when he noticed the bust resting in his hands. Almost involuntarily, his hand stretched out, reaching for it as while everyone else gaped at him. Something similar to a smirk was playing on Shadi's lips when he noticed his reaction.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" He asked him and Kaiba snapped out of what seemed a trance to look at him, perplexed and confused.

"What?" he asked him, reverting his eyes from the captivating piece of clay in the Prophet's hands. Shadi was still smiling peacefully and raised the bust slightly in the air to put it back onto the table. Kaiba lowered his hand back to his side again quickly.

"It is..." he started, observing his facial expression carefully, "you in a way, Seto Kaiba."

After that said, another moment of mute silence shrouded the hall again in which everyone stared at Shadi then at Kaiba in wonder.

"Heh?" Joey was the first to recover and now he had a funny looking grimace on his face that was a mixture of disbelief and confusion. Shadi closed his eyes then decided to explain it.

"I told you that the three ancient Gods sealed the souls of those who summoned them into three busts...each representing the God who was summoned," Shadi spoke calmly, his eyes resting on the bust now. "My belief is that it is Seto Kaiba's soul that is resting in this bust...you," he looked at Kaiba now, "are the one who summoned the God of underworld, Osiris and he was the one who sealed your soul into this bust then...I would say that, that was the main reason why you had and still have an odd inclination towards this bust that you can't explain?"

Those gathered around the table, with an exception of Kaiba and Shadi, were looking at Shadi then at Kaiba, following the conversation like a tennis match, expecting the CEO's next move.

Kaiba was still for a while, staring blankly at the bust, and Joey had to shake a hand in front of his face to make him snap out of his daze. When he finally regained his composure, he snorted to everyone's surprise and developed a strange mixture of a glare and a smirk resting on his face.

"Are you saying that my soul is in that piece of mud?"

Shadi nodded. Kaiba let out a chuckle while others gaped at them.

"You are really out of your mind," he replied, crossing his hands again and actually seeming amused by the whole explanation, "if my soul was really in that bust, how can I live then? As much as I know about the mythology, _no one_ can live without a soul." He finished, his expression challenging Shadi to prove otherwise.

Shadi only smiled his usual calm smile and looked at him again.

"I know that no one can live without a soul, Seto Kaiba, but...if I say that a piece of your soul still lives in it?" he replied; now daring Kaiba to come up with an adequate counter attack. 

Kaiba frowned, his amused expression replaced by a confused frown. "What?"

"You see...your souls were reincarnated trough out the centuries and millenniums, but a part of you still lives in this bust, Seto Kaiba. It is the main reason why you wanted to buy it, and still _is_ the main reason why you still want to posses it," Shadi said coolly, crossing his fingers. "A piece of you is still locked in this bust...and you can feel it."

Ishizu and Yuugi were watching them with open mouth, while the others didn't comprehend a thing now and lost every bit of track they had on the story.

"I don't get it," Joey commented, eyeing the bust and then Kaiba, his face revealing utter confusion, "you're saying that it's Kaiba who's in there?"

Shadi nodded and smiled. "But not quite...the main part of him and the crucial part of him is standing right here," he added and stretched his palm to show Kaiba whose face was now unreadable. Joey let out a silent 'oh' before glancing at Tristan who shrugged, also clueless.

"And what's with the bug on that crown?" Mai asked, now seeming interested in the whole thing. Ishizu explained instead of Shadi who closed his eyes now again.

"It represents the sacred animal of Osiris, a scarab," she said and Mai nodded thoughtfully. Joey, however snickered, satisfied that he found a way to get back at the arrogant CEO.

"Kaiba is an ugly bug," he stated happily on which Kaiba threw him a death glare. 

"Be careful Joey," Yuugi jumped in, smiling slightly, "Osiris was one of the most powerful Gods in Egyptian mythology." The smile vanished from Joey's face and was now replaced by wariness.

Ishizu wanted to say that Yuugi was right and that Osiris was truly powerful but she halted when she noticed Shadi looking at his watch. When he got up abruptly, everyone around the table silenced and sent him questioning gazes. 

Shadi smiled politely and raised his hand in the air to calm them all down.

"Don't worry, I'll be right back." With that, he abandoned the hall and disappeared behind the curtain, leaving a stunned group of people behind.

"That man is simply weird," was Joey's statement when he was sure the Prophet left. Tristan nodded in agreement while Serenity wasn't sure what to think of him since she didn't really get a chance to meet him better. Mai sighed and patted her stomach dejectedly, still wishing she could order a jumbo size pizza and have a decent dinner. The only thing she managed to get between her teeth today was a strange meal Joey brought from a nearby store that she barely managed to swallow. 

Yuugi was thoughtful for a while, wondering where Shadi went and why he decided to leave them all just like that. Kaiba was staring straight ahead, refusing to look at the bust; afraid that the one more look could trigger the visions he experienced that morning. The last thing he needed right now was an immense headache, and his mind full of weird and peculiar images.

When Ishizu wanted to suggest that they should all go and check out where Shadi disappeared, they heard a tremendous noise coming from somewhere behind the curtain and down the corridor. They were standing still and frozen, listening carefully to the amount of racket from the nearby. Tristan wanted to run and see what happened, but when voices filled the corridor now, becoming comprehensible and clear he stopped in his tracks and opened his mouth in wonder.

The loud and angry voice was nearing them all, and they were already prepared to run in case the cloaked creatures came back but when they heard Shadi's voice as well, they calmed down a bit.

The voices were quite audible now, although not quite understandable. The amount of ruckus from the other side of the curtain indicated that the person who was with Shadi was definitely trying to offer some kind of resistance, although it was clear to everyone that if Shadi could handle a herd of cloaked monsters, then he could as well handle the person with whom he was now. 

They were slightly surprised when they heard another muffled voice approaching them, and the anticipation was killing them. Just when Tristan was ready to act and run towards the curtains, someone else decided to seize the moment to use it. There was a startled yelp heard behind the curtain and Tristan stopped but it was too late. He suddenly found himself on the floor with someone lying on top of him. He could hear gasps all around him and when he opened his eyes to look at the person who made his kidneys turn upside down, he gasped as well and then blinked.

"Tea?"

"Tristan!" she choked out and hugged him so tightly that he thought kidneys weren't his only problem. She smiled happily, and then seeing others looking at her perplexed, quickly scurried off Tristan and hugged the closest person to her, which happened to be Ishizu who yelped then stared at the brown haired girl who embraced her tightly. Yuugi and Mai were speechless, their faces totally blank and bare of any emotion besides shock. Joey gaped at her while Serenity pulled at his sleeve and asked him who that girl was. Kaiba was the only one who stayed neutral, glaring at the wall silently.

"Yuugi, Mai!" Tea exclaimed when she spotted her two best friends and hugged them with equal ferocity. Tristan was just about to get up when Shadi suddenly appeared behind the curtain, pushing a young man in front of him and holding his hands tightly behind his back.

Tristan and everyone else blinked at the man's appearance. He was wearing black cotton pants, a dark, long shirt that was hanging loosely down his pants and his white, spiky and ruffled hair was currently spread all around his shoulders, a pair of angry and furious dark eyes glaring death at everyone in the hall.

Shadi was the only one who was holding his usual composed facial expression, while trying to hold the young man still. Then he looked at everyone else, including Tea, who had an almost pleading expression on her face and smiled slightly.

Putting Bakura down on the floor of the hall roughly but still not letting him loose, he fixed his turban. Bakura was jerking like a wild animal, screaming something in language that was not understandable to Tea, Yuugi, Kaiba and Mai, although everyone else exchanged awkward glances.

Shadi scanned the hall one more time before making the introduction.

"Everyone," he said nonchalantly, as if introducing an old friend, "this is Bakura, the third Soul."

****


	14. Destiny

Disclaimer: Well, there you go – I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! I don't even own the cards! I can't even duel! T___T

**A/N**

Uhm...before I thank everyone for reviewing and all, I'd like to answer some questions related to this story. Okay, _Scarlet-Moonlight_: Yes! Bakura is the one who summoned Anubis...I'm not spilling out the details yet, though... ~_^ __

_Deena70_: Of course you can use my fics on your web page. Just notify me when you're done with it, so I can check it out! 

For _winky_golden:_ No, Yamis are not in this fic (except Bakura – I decided to leave him as Yami Bakura...imagine Ryou as a sneaky little thief...^_^) And thanks for pointing out my spelling mistakes; sometimes I type too fast and although I check the chapters _twice_, I still can't quite catch all the mistakes I made...Thanks! 

Everyone else – thank you for your reviews and support! You're the greatest! Okay, now I'll stop babbling and I'll let you read the chapter in peace *skips away merrily*

**The legend of the three Souls**

**Chapter XIII – Destiny**

-by Alena S. Anigor

***

A long shadow was stretched across the sand, swaying slightly as the figure moved occasionally. A tall man in a dark business suit was standing in the middle of the sand; dark bangs shielding his eyes from the view. He was holding a briefcase in his right hand, delicate and long fingers clutching the handle gently. When he raised his head to look at the night sky above, his bangs were blown away slightly by a light breeze and revealed a pair of sharp, emerald eyes. To anyone else, he would've looked like a perfect example of a successful businessman, but a herd of cloaked minions behind him, standing stiffly and waiting for his next command, ruined the perfect picture. 

One of the cloaked servants stepped out and outstretched his hands towards him, bowing in respect. Turning his palms up to him, he practically served him a little bust which he instantly grabbed, his eyes narrowing in some bizarre pleasure as his lips curved into a vicious smirk.

"Excellent," he coaxed silently, observing the bust before he placed it into a briefcase, closing it behind, "and you say this is the way successful people dress today?" he added, eyeing his outfit for a moment. The minion nodded mutely and then rasped.

"Yes, Ancient One."

The tall man narrowed his eyes once again to look at the tie hanging down his perfectly buttoned shirt, and he silently grunted in displeasure when his feet couldn't feel the desired freedom he had when he was wearing his sandals. But, this was the part of a plan, and he didn't want anything to go wrong. This would be his night, and he was almost positive that his time has come again. 

Making an eye contact with his minion, he looked deep into the darkness of the hood and the cloaked creature nodded again, turning around and snapped with his skeletal fingers.

The row behind him shifted a bit, before another figure stepped out, this one looking slightly different than the rest of them.

"You know my name," the emerald - eyed man whispered smoothly, motioning to the figure to come closer. The sandy haired boy nodded and approached him. His eyes were blank; the shade of violet mixed with a shade of gray as he stared numbly at his new master.

"Amukh," he stated simply and coldly, still not moving his gaze from the transfixing emerald eyes. Once a powerful priest nodded and smirked.

"Well then, Marik," he said out loud, turning his head around to look at the horizon and at the full moon that glistened in the night sky, "let's pay our _friends_ a visit."

***

Bakura was used to having someone holding him like he was an animal let loose from the leash...it was a common thing when he was younger and was caught with his hands full of stolen apples or his mouth full with sweets he used to snatch from a store. And although an irritating man with a turban had an iron like grip on his hands, that didn't seem so disturbing, as the baffled looks everyone else gave him...well, except Tea, who had a puzzled expression.

He hated being in the center of attention; he liked the shadows, the dark places where he could run to and hide. Those places would offer him security and solitude he liked so much...now, he felt like he was equally exhibited like every thing in the museum he was currently being stuck in. Or trapped in, as he considered it.

Shadi had an almost victorious smile on his face, observing the shocked expressions of everyone who stared at the thief, perplexed. Tea was the only one who cocked her eyebrows and crooked her neck aside a bit to look at astonished faces of her friends. Then, she redirected her gaze towards Shadi, wondering who he was who glanced at her before lowering his head to look at Bakura, who was seething like an aggravated cobra. 

"Behave, and I shall let you loose," Shadi said finally to him on which Bakura jerked one more time and gave him a stone crushing glare. Shadi raised one eyebrow suspiciously and decided not to take his chance. "But I think it is safer this way, though." 

He turned his attention towards others who were still frozen stiff like statues, staring at them. The thief had a fervent effect on Kaiba whose eyes widened and almost instantly, his hand flew to his forehead, his fingers clutching the bridge of his nose. He could already sense a headache coming on.

Yuugi's eyes squinted slightly in concentration; it was as though he had seen the white haired boy before somewhere but he couldn't remember from where. All he knew was that the supposed reincarnation of the third Soul looked strangely familiar. After a moment of mental rambling, he came to a conclusion that it was no wonder, since they were all together back then when they fought the evil priest. 

Serenity was still pulling at her brother's sleeve, whispering something to him to which he was completely oblivious. He was still staring in wonder, together with Tristan and Mai at the person who was, as Shadi stated, the reincarnation of the third Soul. He observed his appearance, noticing how the shoes he wore were almost on the verge of breaking apart and his shirt and pants were slightly dirty and dusty. His hair however, somehow managed to preserve a silky like structure and fitted his tanned skin perfectly, in Mai's opinion. Ishizu was the only one who was looking at him with a serious expression. Something about the thief looked familiar to her as well, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"I demand from you to let me go!" Bakura snarled loudly, his raspy and deep voice echoing through the large hall. Shadi retuned his steady gaze to him and he seemed amused for a moment. 

"What was he doing here anyway?" Joey asked after the initial shock subsided. Tristan scratched his head while Mai seemed to be in deep thoughts.

"He, uhm...well, he..." Tea was muttering, fidgeting with her fingers, a look of guilt and discomfort evident on her face.

"He came back, " Shadi continued instead of her, "to take what he thought belonged to him." Mai was twirling the cord of her camera absentmindedly, until the gathered information clicked in her mind. She snapped her fingers and her eyes brightened, now flying to and fro the two men. 

"He was the one! He was the one who was here to steal the bust before! Am I right?"

Shadi was looking at her, now with a slightly serious expression and then nodded carefully. Mai smiled triumphantly. Ishizu and the two guides suddenly stiffened, their eyes becoming darker with apathy, their brows knitted in a frown.

"Then..." Ishizu started, staring at Bakura with a strange gleam in her eye.

"He was the one who-" Tristan added, his demeanor becoming threatening.

"Stabbed Rashid!" Joey yelled angrily, his fists clenched and in an instant, he hurled at Bakura, who was helpless since Shadi was keeping his hands in a tight grip behind his back. 

Before anyone could even blink, Joey was in front of the thief in an instant, his fist in the air and ready to swing at the white haired boy. Even Shadi was taken aback a bit, but he managed to yank Bakura away before Joey had a chance to land a solid punch to his face. Instead, he only managed to graze his lips, knuckles brushing slightly against them. Bakura's wince was barely evident, as he landed on the cold floor of the main hall again, now cursing out loud all sorts of profanities at Shadi and everyone else in the hall. Joey's eyes widened in disbelief and he stared at Shadi, now completely confused. His fist was still stretched out in the air, shaking.

Everyone else merely gaped at them, observing carefully what would happen next. Tristan's demeanor was still rigid and stiff, ready to act if necessary; Ishizu clasped her hand across her mouth, her eyes wide with a mixture of revulsion and wonder. Yuugi, Mai and Serenity were staring blankly at Joey, Serenity being shocked with her brother's behavior. Kaiba was the only one who was still clutching the bridge of his nose, throbbing pain starting to pulsate trough his head again. He almost groaned in irritation, suddenly feeling lightheaded and weak. Tea was still perplexed about everything and ached to be informed about current situation...Joey's behavior shocking her as well.

"But...why did you...he...why?" Joey mumbled silently, still staring at Shadi in shock and disbelief. Bakura was still spitting insults at him; sending death glares in his direction. Shadi wore a blank expression, not revealing his surprise.

"He is the third Soul and-"

"I don't care! He hurt Rashid!" Joey interrupted the Prophet, now beyond furious. "He should pay for that!"

Shadi closed his eyes, holding Bakura by the hands and sensing his discomfort. The thief was starting to get edgy and Shadi knew that it would be easy to let the thief go and let him start the fight with the blond guide, but he knew that, that would also have bad consequences. Besides, something else was keeping him alerted and he started to realize what that was right in the moment when Bakura managed to somehow jerk his hand away from his grasp, and scurrying to his feet quickly, got away from the Prophet. Joey and Tristan took fighting stances immediately, their emotions and nerves working with full ferocity. Bakura was about to throw an insult at Joey, already clenching the end of his knife in his robes, when Tea stopped in front of him, surprising him and everyone else. She stretched her hands towards Joey, begging him to restrain himself from attacking Bakura. Joey and Tristan were looking at her blankly, blinking in confusion. Yuugi and Mai exchanged nervous glances with Ishizu, Serenity hiding slightly behind her. Kaiba was watching the scene intently, silently cursing the whole deal with the busts, the museum and his arrival in Egypt. The pulsating pain in his head was still making him nauseous and he narrowed his eyes at the white haired thief, glaring at him for causing him the headache again.

"Please, just...stop it!" She pleaded anxiously and caused everyone around her to give her a funny look. Yuugi was the first who managed to push his surprise aside, watching her incredulously. 

"But, but...Tea, he was the one who kidnapped you! And we were worried sick about you, and you...and now you're defending him?" He spluttered, violet orbs wide with shock and disbelief. Mai nodded slowly, still not comprehending what happened in those couple of days that made her best friend stand up for the man who abducted her. Tea lowered her head, almost in shame. She knew that it looked like she had gone mad for defending Bakura like that, but she couldn't let him and her friends fight because of her...besides that, he did nothing to her, he didn't harm her...well, he did threaten her, but what normal kidnapper wouldn't?

All those thoughts aside, she raised her head, cerulean eyes pleading again. She shook her head, her tears filling with tears slightly.

"Please, just...stop it, please! He didn't hurt me, and...please, don't fight, we have enough problems already as it is..." she half – whispered, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment to clear her vision that has become blurry. Joey and Tristan relaxed a bit seeing her on the verge of tears, even Bakura stood put, not moving a muscle. It was so odd from her to stand up for him that it made him stare in wonder at her. The only person who has tried to protect him and help him like that was Marik, but Marik was...He lowered his head, diverting his eyes to look at Shadi who was observing the curtain with an almost alarmed expression. 

"And what is this...Soul thing you're talking about?" Tea added, glancing at them expectedly, waiting for an answer. Everyone exchanged tired looks, not knowing how to explain to her the fact that Kaiba, Yuugi and her kidnapper were the reincarnations of the ancient souls of the people who saved the world once and that the same threat has come back again to try and do the same again. 

"Well, you see...it's like this-" Mai started, putting a finger on her chin when Shadi interrupted her, tension audible in his voice. 

"There is no time for explanations now," he said in a hurry, still looking at the curtain with concern, "I'm sorry to interrupt you Mai Valentine."

Mai sighed, irritated and crossed her arms as a sign of her annoyance. 

"We should go," Shadi added in a voice that started to worry Ishizu and Yuugi. The spiky haired boy leaned forward slightly, looking towards the curtain as if expecting someone to come through. As if hearing his thoughts, Shadi turned to look at him swiftly, his eyes now wide with fear for the first time since they've met him. That somehow made everyone apprehensive and Ishizu raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him, her demeanor becoming stiff. Shadi nodded, his face now serious and almost fearful. 

"What is it now?" Mai asked, still glowering a bit. Shadi turned once again to the curtain and clenched his fists tightly. Then he quickly turned his head and scrutinized them all with keen blue eyes. 

"You must leave," he announced hastily, sending them all a warning look. Yuugi looked at Kaiba whose headache seemed to subside and now he was watching the Prophet skeptically.

"Don't tell me," he said after spending his time in silence for a while, "we're going to be attacked again?" he added, his eyes full of mockery and his voice dripping with ice. Shadi looked at him steadily before glancing at Bakura who raised an eyebrow at them all, still not comprehending a thing.

"Exactly," he replied, making Serenity and Ishizu gasp. 

"Not again!" Joey and Tristan yelled in unison; despair crossing their features. Mai mumbled something about killing herself, while Yuugi looked blankly at Tea whose eyes were wide with fear.

"They're coming back?" Yuugi asked, suddenly seeming out of breath, while Kaiba's face paled slightly. The scratch at his neck stung for a second and he winced slightly.

"What, here?" Tristan yelped and took a step back. Joey stared at Shadi for a moment before he paced to Serenity and took her by the hand.

"Well, what are we still doing here then?" He barked, a sudden feeling of fear and trepidation surging through him. Serenity's face was pale and she grabbed her brother's upper arm, holding him tightly. Panic seemed to overwhelm every one of them when Shadi yelled at them to get out before it was too late. Chaos ensued a moment after in which no one knew where to go and with whom. Yuugi grabbed Mai by the hand and wanted to take Tea's as well, but was surprised to see Bakura stepping in front of her, almost protectively. Tea stared at him for a moment before she snapped out of her stupor and almost yelped when he pulled her by the hand and towards the exit on the other side of the hall. Shadi ordered them all to go there, notifying them that the creatures were very close now and the fastest and the safest way to get out was through the back door of the museum. Yuugi stopped him for a moment to tell him to take care of her well on which he gave him a glare and stormed past him and Mai who raised a hand to say something to Tea but had no chance anymore. Yuugi was already on the way, tagging her along. Kaiba seemed as if he wasn't in a hurry, strolling down the hall indifferently, muttering something under his breath. 

Tristan heard him mumbling 'this is ridiculous' before he vanished out of the hall.

"Ishizu, come on!" he yelled and she managed to snatch the wooden box with the bust from the table before joining him. Joey and Serenity were already ahead of them, rushing out of the hall. When Ishizu wanted to step out through the doors, she turned around and saw Shadi standing peacefully in the hall with his back turned to her. He didn't move a muscle and showed no signs of wanting to leave the hall as well and Ishizu frowned in confusion.

"Shadi!" She shouted, making Tristan stop and look at him, too. Shadi turned around and gave her one of his rare and small smiles. Then he turned back again and unclenched his fists.

"Go, Ishizu Ishtar!" he shouted back sternly, "you must leave, now!"

Ishizu stared at him, perplexed. "But, but what about you?"

He shook his head, not looking at her. Tristan grabbed Ishizu's hand and pulled her slightly towards the exit.

"I must stay here," he said calmly, looking at the curtain, "it is my destiny."

Ishizu gasped, wide blue eyes looking at him with sudden realization. "But you can't just...Shadi, please!" 

Tristan lowered his head and tugged on her arm, urging her to move on. But, she stood put, begging him to come with them but Shadi was silent, not moving and not turning around. He didn't want to look at them; afraid that one look could make him turn around and flee with them, and he would leave his destiny behind...something he wouldn't dare to do even in his dreams. So, he stood firmly in the hall, waiting for his destiny to come and to fulfill. Ishizu wanted to run up to him to yank him from his position and take him with her, but Tristan pulled her away, telling her that there was nothing else she could do.

"It's his destiny!" he yelled, dragging her behind him and trying not to let her run off.

"Shadi!" he could hear her scream before her shouts and her protests died off, leaving the hall once again in complete silence. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate and summon his strength, to gather his thoughts and emotions to work as one. When the curtain started billowing slightly, he opened his eyes instantly, already prepared for the upcoming monsters in cloaks. He sensed an aura of a living creature and presumed it was a friend of Bakura's. He didn't want to mention that to him, knowing very well that it would be hard to get him out of the hall if he did.

The last thought that crossed his mind before one skeletal hand reached to open the curtain, was the thought he was dreading and regretting the most now.

_It is my destiny._


	15. Inevitability

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...but I might own the cards soon...if I manage to get enough money to actually buy them...then – I'll challenge Kaiba! Muahahahaha! *****cough***** either way, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...yeah...

**A/N**

Well...I've got nothing to add here, actually...can you believe that? Okay, maybe a huge 'thank you' to all my reviewers! *huggles her reviewers*

**The legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XIV – Inevitability**

-by Alena S. Anigor

***

The air was unusually chilly for a summer night and Mai shivered slightly, clasping her hands around her shoulders protectively. She was getting a tad irritated by a verbal clash Bakura and Kaiba were currently occupied with and not to mention scared of the upcoming battle with cloaked monsters that seemed to be inevitable. 

Not so far away from her, Tea and Yuugi were trying to reason the two bickering men to stop fighting, although Kaiba paid no attention to Yuugi's pleas and Bakura would simply push Tea away every time she tried to grab a hold of his hand and pull him aside.

Tristan and Joey, together with a frightened Serenity were becoming impatient and edgy, turning around every once in a while to see if someone or something dared to open the backdoors and come out to threat them. Ishizu was the only one who was silent, her head lowered. She was staring numbly at the pebbly covered alley, clutching the wooden box to her chest tightly. She winced and instantly raised her head to look at the doors of the museum when she heard a crashing sound coming from the inside. She almost reacted and jumped towards the doors to get inside and help Shadi, but her feet seemed glued to the solid rock beneath her. She closed her eyes and her ears caught the bits of a fight between Kaiba and the thief at that moment.

"How the hell are we all going to fit into a helicopter?" Bakura shouted angrily, when Kaiba wanted to call for one of his private choppers. Yuugi and Tea stared at them, perplexed and helpless. They exchanged glances before Yuugi commented that Bakura had a point. Tea had to agree. Kaiba threw them a cold glare before glancing at the white haired thief again.

"Who said I would take you all with me?" He asked them coolly, observing the shocked expression on Yuugi and Tea's face. Bakura growled and clenched his fists in fury. "You are not of mine concern," he added, observing them all with a sharp, mocking eyes. "You will have to manage on your own."

"But, Kaiba-" Yuugi was ready to protest, when Bakura lost his patience and before Tea could stop him, grabbed the CEO by the collar of his shirt and whipped him down to meet his glare. Serenity gasped and Mai unclasped her hands from her shoulders. Joey and Tristan already took their stances, ready to get into a fistfight if necessary.

"Bakura, please, don't!" Tea was heard, her hands around thief's shoulders to pry him off Kaiba. The two reincarnations of the legendary Souls glared silently at each other, none of them uttering a word. Ishizu seemed to be the only one aware of the fact that they didn't have the time or the luxury to get involved into a glaring match. She let out an exasperated sigh, leaning the wooden box with the bust on her left shoulder. She had enough of everything; enough of the cloaked monsters, enough of the people around her and she even had enough of the legend and the busts. She growled, loosing her last bit of patience and reasoning. 

"Stop it already!" she yelled, making everyone except Bakura and Kaiba turn around to look at her. Joey and Tristan gawked while Mai stepped away from her warily; already familiar with the way she behaved when she was mad. Tea and Yuugi stopped with their tries to pull the two apart. Ishizu glared at them angrily, pointing at the backdoor of the museum. Another crashing sound came from the inside; this one seemed to come from the near distance.

"Shadi is in there, risking his life for us, and you are fighting again! If you don't come up with a plan and fast, we won't have the time to run away from here! And Shadi's sacrifice will be for nothing!" She shouted, angry tears streaming down her tanned face. "Now, if you don't mind, show some decency and THINK of something to get us OUT of here! We've been standing here long enough!"

After that, no one dared to protest or object her. Turning their head slowly to look at the two who were still in a stale position, they agreed silently, watching them with interest. Tea clasped her hands in front of Bakura, pleading cerulean eyes begging him to stop. Bakura seemed lost for a moment, seeing her like that, before he turned his previous attention to Kaiba who was looking at him blankly now. 

"She has a point," he agreed, glaring up at him, "We don't have much time and waiting for your chopper _would _take a lot of that." With his final word, he released him, letting him straighten himself and fix his collar. Being the tallest of them all, Kaiba had a great view at their eager and anticipating faces. He scanned every one of them, Ishizu especially whose determined and stern expression could freeze the fires of hell. After gaining his equilibrium again, he let his eyes fall to the thief. Bakura's serious expression mirrored his own.

"And what do you suggest then?"

Bakura raised one eyebrow quizzically before smirking at the CEO's question.

"I have one place in mind." He replied, mysterious eyes glistening with mischief. Kaiba's jaw tightened and he crossed his hands impatiently.

"Well, where is that place you're talking about?" Yuugi asked timidly, the expression on the thief's face awakening strange, wary feeling in his stomach. 

Bakura grabbed Tea by the hand unexpectedly and she stared at him in wonder for a moment, wondering why he did that again before he pulled her slightly to him, glancing at her almost possessively before answering Yuugi's question.

"In the desert."

***

Shadi was starting to feel the firsts signs of exasperation; beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. The dark corridor was around him, lights coming on and turning off every now and then. But the most frightening thing was the presence of the cloaked creatures around him, still now giving up and still trying to pass him by. He was breathing heavily, and almost winced when he felt the wound on his shoulder stinging. The white color of his sleeve was now drenched with a red stain, the material clinging to his arm.

One skeletal nail that managed to graze his cheek left a small cut there, blood trickling down his face slowly in a thin streak. 

He was becoming helpless and weak and that frightened him the most. Never until now had he lost to them...not in the visions of his past, not in the night before he met the Souls and told them about their future. But now...he was afraid that the only vision he thought was impossible would come true in the end...the vision of his own future, of his own destiny. The vision in which he was dying by the hand of that same, cloaked creature that was standing somewhere in the army of them, right in front of him. 

He was backed against the wall now, blood leaving marks on the white paint behind him. It was cold and it made him shiver slightly, but it was soothing, the way the cold wall made his wound hurt less. He took one deep breath, exhaling slowly to try and collect his strength back, to calm his raging heart and clear his thoughts a bit.

In front of him, the herd of the cloaked creatures stood still, not moving a thing. An almost dead silence filled the corridor now, and he wondered for a moment if his friends have made to escape by now. His only remaining goal was to stop the creatures, to protect them and the Souls. He only hoped he would have the power to do that, but...his vision haunted him; the same in which he died and he closed his eyes briefly, trying to get the image out of his head, trying to spite the destiny. 

When he was ready to stand straight again, to stand up and fight again, a sudden breeze of chilly air filled the corridor and made him shudder. He breathed in sharply, blue eyes straining to see what came and caused the sudden rush of air.

He didn't have to wait long for the answer to come. The crowd of cloaked creatures suddenly spread apart, leaving space in the middle for the two figures. One of them was tall and slender, shadowed behind the cloak, although a clang of his shoes was telling that he was different from the others who were hovering a few feet above the marble tiles. The other figure was walking steadily behind the first one, keeping a solid pace.

When the taller figure stopped finally, reaching the end of the small path between the cloaked minions, it stepped out firmly, the darkness beneath the hood threatening and ominous. 

The figure let out a blood curling chuckle and Shadi's eyes widened when he realized who the figure was. His suspicions were confirmed when the figure lowered his hood and revealed his face.

It was a young, dark – haired man, dressed in what seemed to be a business suit, the white shirt and a silky tie evident beneath the rest of the cloak. The most striking thing about him were his eyes: emerald, sharp and filled with sheer malice, and undying desire for a revenge.

The faux smile on his lips, combined with his vicious eyes and powerful, threatening demeanor told Shadi that, that was the man who once set chaos loose, and who finally managed to come back to do the same thing again. 

"Amukh..." Shadi breathed, suddenly feeling his blood running cold, his body trembling. The aura of the ancient priest was so powerful, so engulfing that it threatened to swallow him alive. The smile on his lips still didn't disappear.

"Shadi," he said smoothly, his voice full of fake kindness, "long time no see."

The smaller figure behind him stepped closer to him, and took his hood off. A pair of violet orbs, now tinted with a shade of gray stared at him. Amukh's smile grew wider when he introduced the young man.

"This is Marik," he coaxed, pointing at the sandy – haired Egyptian behind him, "but knowing you, I presume you already know who he is."

Shadi's stare was hard and fixated on the powerful priest, not letting him out of his sight. "Yes, yes I know who the young, poor man in." He spoke through gritted teeth. Amukh smiled once again and craned his head aside a bit, observing him questioningly.

"What is the matter with you Shadi?" He asked, faking a surprise. "You seem to be...out of breath."

Shadi's eyes were still on him, serious and stern. His face revealed a grim expression, although his face was pale due to the blood loss he was going through. He managed to get up, still using the wall as a back up and ignoring the throbbing pain in his shoulder. Amukh seemed to be amused.

"You know," he said almost happily, "you used to be quite a prophet back then...what happened to you now?" he mocked, making Marik smirk with an evil satisfaction.

Shadi growled silently, clutching his shoulder tightly. "You came here to reminisce, Amukh?" 

The emerald – eyed man chuckled, closing his eyes for a second to laugh, showing a row of perfectly white teeth.

"You know very well why I am here, Shadi, old _friend_."

Shadi's eyes narrowed and he took a fighting stance, as weak as he looked like. Amukh's smile vanished from his face now, replaced by a stoic expression. Emerald eyes narrowed as well. Behind him, the cloaks of a few minions made a ruffling sound. 

"You will not harm them!" Shadi shouted warningly which made no effect on the priest. He only raised an eyebrow and then turned to Marik whose blank eyes revealed malice as well. Marik turned to the army of cloaked creatures behind him and Shadi had to back away a bit when they all got back to life suddenly, cloaks billowing beneath them furiously. The cold wall and no way out meant no good news to Shadi and he had to admit that it was useless to try and avoid his destiny, to outsmart his own fate. But, he promised himself he wouldn't go down without a fight and collecting his last shreds of energy he got left, he got up, ready to fight with his hands, legs, nails and teeth when he felt a sharp pain crossing through his chest, stopping him immediately and making him gasp. 

When he raised his eyes to see what happened, he could only see dark fabric of a cloaked creature. Everywhere he looked, he saw black cloaks, surrounding him, making a dangerous trap. Somewhere behind the sea of dark cloaks, he could hear Amukh laughing victoriously. 

When he lowered his head to see what caused such pain his eyes widened in horror and he fell down on his knees, making a loud thumping noise when his knees hit the floor of the corridor. His robes were already soaked with his own blood, one skeletal hand still buried in his chest, cold, sharp nails threatening to rip him apart. He took one last breath of air before his vision became blurry, the world around him started to spin vigorously and he could feel himself falling...until the complete darkness engulfed him, consumed him completely and he fell down, closing his eyes. 

_It was my destiny_, he repeated in his head until he could no longer feel or see anything.

When the cloaked creature pulled his hand out of his chest and let out a creepy, cackling sound, Amukh approached the still body of a Prophet and smiled sadistically. 

"You won't be an obstacle to me now, Shadi...not anymore." With that, he turned around, ordering his minions to go and find the others. Marik took one final look at the motionless body of a man lying on the floor before his eyes flashed with silver and he went after Amukh.

"They are heading towards the desert!" Amukh barked, marching through the corridors of the museum. All around, pieces of destroyed artifacts lay, scattered and broken.

"But I think we could manage to get to them first." The priest added, as he turned to look at Marik who only smirked at his master's remark and nodded.

Ordering the cloaked minions to move, he vanished down the hall, leaving Amukh alone in the museum. 

He sat on one of the chairs in the main hall and opened the briefcase, retrieving the bust of the First Soul. He admired the clay statue for a while, before he placed it back inside the briefcase, shutting it carefully again.

After that, he got up and smiled evilly, strolling down the hall steadily, laughing maniacally.  

"One more to find, and one more to take away." 


	16. Separate ways

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...[rises an imaginary Millennium Item] Muahahahaha!

**A/N**

Gah, stupid html codes...Ahem, anyway – sorry for not updating sooner, had no time, really, and was in the process of writing another story (Kaiba/Serenity fic), so pardon my posting hiatus. You have no idea how many times I've rewritten this chapter in order to be pleased with it...hope you'll like it as well. 

And yes – I know I killed Shadi...but someone just _had _to die, you know...And let's just say he won't be the only one...uhh...okay, enough said. Let's move on with the story, shall we?

**The legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XV – Separate ways**

-by Alena S. Anigor

===========

The alley was long and narrow, footsteps echoing through the poor dimly path. The only light was coming from the moon set high on the sky, which indicated that it was very late. When Yuugi glanced at his watch, he saw his assumptions were right – it was near midnight.

He looked at the girl in front of him; Tea was breathing heavily as well as the rest of them. Mai was mumbling constantly something about high heels and blisters, while Joey was trying to calm down his sister who was on the verge of panicking. Ishizu, Tristan and Kaiba were following close behind, the CEO having an irritated look plastered on his face.

Tea was in an almost desperate need of air. Her lungs were burning with such intensity she had a feeling they would explode from the inside. The thief, who was still holding her hand and dragging her down the street showed no signs of stopping. When Serenity finally almost collapsed on the solid rock of the alley, Joey yelled at him to stop already so they could rest a bit. Bakura stopped and turned around, ready to object but when he saw in what state they were, decided to keep quiet. The brown – haired girl was gasping for air and he stared at her in wonder for a moment, not comprehending how could they be so out of shape. Running like that was his constant routine, something he was already used to...but then again, they weren't like him.

"How...much...longer?" Tristan breathed out, clutching his shirt tightly. Ishizu bent over, equally exasperated and out of breath. Serenity and Mai leaned against the cold wall to rest a bit when Joey warned them to get away from it if they didn't want to catch pneumonia. Mai groaned and stepped away from the wall only to stumble and almost fall on the floor. Joey was only capable to stop her from completely loosing her balance by grabbing her by the shoulders so she ended on her knees.

"I can't go on anymore," she whispered, disheveled. Kaiba seemed to be the only one who has managed to keep a straight and cool face. He crossed his hands in clear annoyance and glared at the thief. Bakura scanned the alley in front of him, and recognized one of the sheds he remembered as an indication that the exit was close. The wall of the shed was scrapped and the little gap had a form of a star. Such details were quite useful for an orientation when he was younger.

"Are we there yet?" Kaiba's flat and chilly voice broke the silence and made everyone turn to the thief, looking at him curiously. Bakura turned around and looked first at the tall CEO then at everyone else.

"We are close," he replied silently, glaring slightly at Kaiba then redirected his eyes to Tea who breathed a sigh of relief now, "A few steps away is a little crossroad. We are going to go straight forward; that's the closest way to reach my hideout in the desert."

Yuugi listened carefully, glancing at the sky for a second.

"And where exactly is that hideout of yours?" Joey asked, already irritated enough to give up on the whole thing and go home. He was still supporting Mai who now had one hand around his shoulder. Bakura gave him a suspicious glare, already thinking how revealing his hideout spot wasn't such a good idea but due to the circumstances, had no choice.

"When we reach the last house, it's about a mile away. At the Ruins of the Doomed," he replied, observing their faces sternly. Joey's face paled, hearing about the sheer name of his hideout.

"Ruins of the Doomed?" Yuugi asked, slightly perplexed. Ishizu frowned in deep thoughts. She put her hand on her chin, the name sounding so familiar to her. When it finally clicked to her, her eyes widened and she gaped at the thief who was ready to move on.

"You mean...those ruins from the seventh dynasty? The ones who are supposed to be haunted by evil spirits?" She asked, half – scared and half – curious. Mai and Tea paled just like Joey, glaring first at Ishizu in disbelief then at Bakura who was smirking.

"I'm not going there if the place is haunted!" Mai exclaimed, almost letting go of Joey and landing on the floor again.

"Me neither!" Tea joined in, staring at Bakura with frightened expression. Bakura, who was still smirking, let out a chuckle and crossed his hands. Kaiba raised an eyebrow, while Yuugi sweatdropped.

"The only evil spirits there are my...fellow colleagues and me," Bakura said, with a note of pride in his voice. Tristan and Joey exchanged knowing glances, already well aware of the fact who the _fellow colleagues_ might be. Ishizu gave him a somewhat accusing look when Mai and Tea sighed. Serenity, who sighed in relief as well, pulled his brother by the sleeve.

"We're going there?" she whispered in his ear, still slightly apprehensive. Joey turned and put a hand on her shoulder, one that wasn't supporting Mai. He looked back at the thief, who was staring at the sky and frowned absentmindedly.

"Guess so," he whispered back. Kaiba uncrossed his hands, suddenly sensing a chilling sensation creeping around him and immediately stiffened. Ishizu gasped slightly when she felt something cold surrounding her and she turned around to see Kaiba staring at her intently.

"Hey, do you feel that?" Yuugi finally voiced everyone's thoughts and fears when he also felt a breath of icy air, swirling around his feet. Mai's blond locks and Serenity's bangs swayed slightly on the sudden wind as Tea's eyes widened.

"Isn't that...?" She started, and then exchanged startled glances with everyone else. Bakura frowned in concentration and listened carefully. He could feel chilliness around him, billowing and caressing his face but he heard no sound. That meant only one thing.

"Move!" He ordered and grabbing Tea by the hand again, yanked her and pulled her forward. Yuugi and everyone around him got the picture as well, and not knowing whom to take by the hand again, grabbed the first person behind him who happened to be Ishizu. Tristan followed sharply behind, not wanting to wait and see what happens next. Joey said a few encouraging words to Mai who only glared at him and gritted her teeth when she had to run again, her legs slightly wobbly and shaking. Serenity was close behind him, a look of sheer fright evident on her face. She still couldn't believe that something like that was happening, and she still thought she was just dreaming but the reality around her reminded her that she wasn't. Kaiba turned around to see if someone was behind him but saw nothing but thick, threatening darkness of the alley. His eyes widened slightly when Serenity pulled him by the hand and told him to run already.

Footsteps echoed against the rocky alley again, and Bakura wanted nothing more than to reach the end of the alley, cross the crossroad and then run towards his hideout in the desert. The girl and his previous captive was starting to slow down and he turned around to look at her. Tea was out of breath; already thinking how she had never ran so much in her entire life. And to think she came here to spend a nice vacation...

"You have to run faster!" Bakura barked at her on which she let out a strangled choke, her lips dry and her lungs burning again.

"I can't!" She yelled desperately, already wanting to jerk her hand out of his. Not sparing another moment to think about his actions, Bakura suddenly stopped, turned around and grabbed her around the waist and under her knees. Tea was already ready to protest when she found herself in the air, supported by the thief's hands. She yelped, startled for a moment before he leaned her to him and she found herself close to his chest, her head in the crook of his neck. She blushed for a second, before he growled and she yelped again, hugging him tightly so not to fall down.

"Can't you do anything by yourself?" He groaned in irritation when she muttered a meek 'sorry'. Behind him, Yuugi stared at him and his sudden course of action until the chilly air gave him no more time to think about the thief and his childhood friend.

Bakura turned sharply around the corner, happy for once to see the crossroad and just when he was about to run across it, he stopped abruptly, making Tea shift violently and almost falling down. She let out a muffled squeak, angry with him for almost letting her fall when her eyes widened, realizing why Bakura stopped so suddenly. Behind him, Yuugi halted, together with Ishizu and Tristan.

"Oh, no..." Ishizu breathed, staring at the alley that was their only exit to the desert.

"Joey, stop!" Mai yelled, when he almost bumped into Tristan and sandwiched her. He growled angrily, twisting his neck to see what made everyone stop again. His mouth fell open and Mai gasped in shock.

When Serenity and Kaiba finally reached them last, Serenity let out a startled shriek, stopping hastily and making Kaiba stop abruptly as well. When he saw what awaited them at the entrance of the alley he growled in frustration and anger.

"Damn it." He muttered.

In front of them, the herd of cloaked fiends blocked their only way out and to the desert. The air that was creeping around them a few minutes ago was now making their cloaks billow and swish rapidly around them. They were standing still, waiting patiently and observing. One of them stepped out, the hood on his head and they couldn't see who was underneath. Not that they even wanted. It was enough for them to see a pair of skeletal hands to never want to see the same sight again.

Bakura let Tea step to the ground slowly, but she still had he hands wrapped around his neck. She didn't want to let go of the only person her safety depended on now. Bakura didn't let go of her either. His hands were still around her waist protectively.

"Now what?" Tristan whispered to Yuugi who could only shake his head in utter disbelief. Ishizu was breathing rapidly, clasping her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide and full of fear. Mai's eyes started to fill with tears, and she hid her head underneath Joey's chin, whispering 'I can't anymore...'

Serenity stepped back, unconsciously gripping the sleeve of Kaiba's trench coat tightly. The CEO glared helplessly at the cloaked monsters, every idea he ever had about avoiding dangerous and risky situations, abandoning him now.

"Bakura?" Tea asked timidly, turning to look at him. Dark orbs were glistening with anger and something that resembled a mixture of annoyance and frustration. They were so close...so close and now, they were trapped. He looked around; there were other alleys that ironically weren't occupied by the cloaked ogres but none of them led to the desert. But, what choice did they have? One of them did lead to another alley that led to the desert, but as far as he remembered, there was a wrecked house, and it was hard to cross the pile of rocks and junk. But then again...what other chance did they have?

"You and me," he whispered slowly and Tea looked at him expectedly, "are going to the desert."

Tea stared at him, confused and puzzled for a moment, before he turned around and looked at Yuugi who snapped out of his trance when Bakura whistled silently to get his attention.

"We will split," he muttered silently, his head half – turned to Yuugi, half – turned so he could still keep an eye on the creatures. Yuugi opened his mouth to object when Bakura stopped him sharply.

"Silence!" He spat out and Yuugi blinked. "The dark – haired girl knows where the ruins are. Follow her and you'll get there." He added and turned around again. He glanced at Tea who was still watching him intently.

Slowly, he reached inside his robes and laid a hand on the handle of his knife. Marik's dagger was close enough, but he still had his other hand occupied.

"But, what about-" Tea spoke when he silenced her by retrieving his knife out that glistened slightly on the moonlight.

"Ishizu, give me that," Tristan said silently to her and motioned at the wooden box in her hands. She gave him a questioning look before he stretched his palms out and gave her a knowing look. Still not comprehending what he had in mind, she reluctantly handed him the box and he looked at her again. She blinked once before gasping and handing him the key. Joey and Mai stared at them in confusion.

"You're not going to giv-" Joey spat out before Tristan shook his head quickly. He opened the box and quickly handed the bust back to Ishizu. The herd of the cloaked monsters shifted slightly when they felt a presence of the ancient artifact. Ishizu quickly hid the bust inside her robes while Tristan closed the wooden box again and looked at the creatures again like nothing happened.

"It will be useful, you know," he whispered to them after Ishizu nodded understandingly.

Yuugi turned around to tell them what Bakura told him and Mai's eyes widened drastically.

"He can't leave us just like that!" She almost shirked if Joey hadn't clasped a hand across her mouth. Yuugi just gave her a helpless look and gulped, turning around to see what would happen next. The silent figure that stepped out, narrowed her head slightly and let out a chuckle. Bakura's eyes narrowed as well, when he thought the chuckle seemed oddly familiar. He dismissed the thought quickly after that when the creatures shifted again and took their stances, ready to attack.

Bakura's grip on Tea tightened and he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Stay close to me."

She nodded mutely, closing her eyes tightly. The leading figure stretched his hand and pointed at them. No one really noticed the way his fingers looked human – like, as they concentrated on the upcoming battle.

When three of them launched forward, Bakura quickly stepped away, holding Tea close to him and swung with his knife at one that was the closest to him. Behind him, he could hear Tristan swinging the wooden box at every creature that approached too close. Ishizu and Yuugi were beside him, Yuugi trying to hit one of them with his leg. Behind them, Mai screamed when one of the creatures got a hold of her hair and Joey launched a solid punch in the darkness of the hood. The creature let out a creepy, squeaky scream and fell down.

"Come on!" He yelled, spotting the nearest alley right to them. Mai was breathing rapidly, wanting nothing more then to wake up already. Joey turned around to see where his sister was, but she wasn't behind him. On the other side of the crossroad, Kaiba managed to push away one of the monsters with a kick right in the middle of the hood, and Serenity shrieked when one of them jumped in front of her and stretched its skinny, white hands towards her. She backed away, reaching the cold wall and shut her eyes tightly when she heard the creature letting out a blood – curling scream and opened her eyes to see Kaiba grabbing him by the hand and throwing him over his shoulder. Those karate classes came in dandy after all. She thanked him breathlessly on which he just glared forward. She turned her head to the left and saw an alley she knew - the alley that led to another alley where the wrecked house was. If they could climb up those rocks and land on the other side...

"Over here!" She yelled and pulled Kaiba by the hand. He protested slightly but decided to follow her when he barely managed to duck two pairs of skeletal fingers that threatened to grab him by the neck.

"Serenity!" Joey yelled, but Serenity was already gone, the darkness of the alley swallowing her. Breathing quickly, he glanced at Mai who was on the verge of crying. His eyes softened with pity and he grabbed her by the waist more tightly.

"Come on, Mai Valentine, you can do it!" He said to her on which she just sniffled and muttered how she hated her life. The alley to the right was now within their reach and he turned one last time to see Yuugi and Ishizu fighting, together with Tristan and Bakura. One of the creatures hurled at him and he barely had the time to lean back and avoid the sharp claws. Not wasting more time on watching the struggle, he disappeared in the darkness of the alley.

Tea was shivering slightly, feeling the cold, skeletal hands on her neck for a moment, before Bakura grabbed the neck of the monster and twisted it around with a loud cracking sound. She almost whimpered and wanted to hide in some corner of the wall, when he pulled her up sharply and ordered her to get a grip on herself. She gasped and pointed at the figure behind him, but Bakura already turned around and swung with his knife. Seeing the rest of them were busy trying to reach Ishizu and the bust she was hiding, he took the opportunity and grasping Tea's hand again, pulled her behind him. Just when he stepped into the alley that promised them the desired freedom, a cloaked figure grabbed his hand and dig his nails into the flesh of his hand. He let out a hiss, turning around and swung with the knife angrily. The figure backed away after letting a hiss itself. Bakura swung his leg to push him away when the figure raised his hand to the hood. It landed on the rock and when was about to get up and finish what it started, Bakura and Tea were gone. The figure growled angrily, hiding his fingers beneath the hood.

Tristan swung the box so violently that it sent two of the remaining figures flying away, but the box cracked as well and after a few moments, crashed to the floor, the wooden pieces scattered around.

He and Yuugi glanced nervously at each other then at Ishizu who was not so far away, clutching the bust to her chest tightly.

"We better run now!" Tristan said, eyeing the figures on the ground that were starting to get up again. Yuugi gulped between ragged breaths and nodded.

"I agree!" He replied, and turning around, they grabbed Ishizu and ran towards the nearest alley that wasn't blocked with cloaked creatures lying on the rocky ground.

Silence filled the crossroad and the only standing figure was left seething angrily. He was so close to achieving his goal...but he wouldn't give up just like that...he would get them, sooner or later. When the figure lowered his hood and showed its face, it revealed a young, sandy – haired man, violet eyes shimmering with gray malice. He was still holding two fingers on the spot where the knife managed to graze his skin.

Marik lowered his hand to rest by his side, small trickle of blood falling down his tanned face, a small but visible cut evident on his cheek.

He smirked cruelly, and turned around to see some of the cloaked creatures up again. His eyes narrowed in malice and he looked at the alleys around him.

"What are you waiting for? Go after them!" He barked and the cloaked monsters nodded slowly, cloaks billowing again and filling the crossroad with chilly air again. Few of them went after Mai and Joey, few of them to the alley where Serenity and Kaiba disappeared in, while three of them followed the path Ishizu, Yuugi and Tristan took. Marik was the only one who turned around again and glared at the alley that led to the desert and through which Bakura managed to escape.

Wiping the blood away from the cut and licking his fingers, he smirked evilly and put the hood back on his head.

"This is not over yet." He whispered and disappeared in the darkness of the alley, leaving just a swishing of the remaining cloaks and then, silence.


	17. Calm before the storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh...I just own this plot, the bad guy of the story and my own crazy and sometimes too vivid imagination...Bwaha!

**A/N**

My God, I'm already on chapter 16...O.o And I _still_ have _no_ idea how many chapters will this story have and how will it all end...go fig. I'm simply building the story chapter by chapter...And I shouldn't have said that – now people are probably staring at this and asking themselves: _"What the hell?"_

Oh, well...this is A.S.A coming at you live with another brilliant chapter! Ahem...got carried away a bit there....

**The legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XVI – Calm before the storm**

-by Alena S Anigor

**#:#:#**

"I'm worried," echoed through the darkness. The voice belonged to a younger person, although it revealed fear and anxiety. Yuugi Mutou was hunched in the corner of the dark alley, pressed against the wall and ordered not to move. Ishizu was a few inches away from him, still clutching the bust to her chest tightly. Their ragged breaths were mingling in the pitch - dark alley, and they felt uncomfortable, standing there for some time already and waiting for Tristan to come back. At least they _prayed_ silently for him to come back.

"You think they got him?" Yuugi voiced his dreadful thoughts, turning slightly to try and see the young woman the question was directed to. He could only see a faint shimmer of her jewelry, and even fainter glimmer of her eyes.

Ishizu was thankful for the solidity of the wall she was currently leaning on. She was afraid she would've collapsed on the ground if the wall weren't supporting her trembling body and shaky legs. True, Tristan went to see if the coast was clear and was gone for some time already. Numerous thoughts and scenarios passed through her mind and she was honestly hoping her friend was all right. But due to the fact that there was a herd of cloaked monsters after them, she didn't dare to be too optimistic.

"I hope not," she replied quietly, trying not to speak too loud but loud enough for Yuugi to hear. The young man beside her sighed heavily and she could hear him sliding further down the wall until he sat down, bringing his knees to his chin and embracing his legs in a comforting manner. The hard, rocky ground was cold and he shifted sorely until he finally settled in the, more or less, comfortable position.

Silence settled between them, too and they were both gazing at the moonlit sky; Ishizu staring at the full and shiny orb and Yuugi counting the stars he managed to see scattered around the moon. Time passed slowly, and it seemed like it would stretch into infinity, their thoughts and emotions making them edgy and tense. There was no sound for good five minutes, but then they heard footsteps coming closer to them. Yuugi immediately stood up, slowly sliding up the wall and already ready to fight with everything he possessed. Ishizu clutched the bust closer to her chest, a frightened and alerted expression on her face. Although it was dark in the alley, they could both hear their breaths, quick and mixed with fear.

Yuugi stepped in front of Ishizu quickly, shielding her slightly from the potential intruder when he heaved a sigh of relief, hearing Tristan's low voice calling for them. Soon after they responded, his tall figure stepped into the dark and behind the small, wrecked wall they were hiding behind, and also heaved a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?"

"They didn't notice you?"

"What about the others?"

Tristan had to clamp his hands over their lips to make them silent. In the dark, he couldn't see where their faces were so he simply stretched his hands in the direction their voices were coming from. Therefore, he clasped his hand over Ishizu's nose and managed to pat Yuugi on the forehead, instead. But, they at least silenced down and looked at him, slightly puzzled.

"Be quiet, you two!" He hissed quickly and they were now staring at him, glancing around warily. Ishizu removed his hand gently, wanting answers.

"Are they still around?" she whispered carefully and Yuugi leaned closer to her to be able to hear what she was saying. Tristan observed his hands for a while then shrugged slightly and leaned in as well. Accidentally, he bumped his forehead against Yuugi's and let out a yelp before they quickly clamped their hands over each other's mouth, eyes wide for a moment. Ishizu resisted the urge to roll her eyes; she just shook her head instead.

"Tristan," she whispered sharply again, "talk! Where are they? Can we proceed towards the ruins?"

Tristan bit his lip for a second, still trying to catch his own breath. He was wandering through the alleys for some time, trying to find a way out of, what looked like a labyrinth to him. He spotted the infamous crossroad they barely managed to escape from half an hour before, and instantly backed away behind the corner, expecting to see the creatures there. He cocked his eyebrows when he peeked behind the wall and saw only a few cloaks lying on the ground. There was no sign of the monsters and he sighed in relief. He was observing the crossroad for some time, and was already prepared to move forward and see if the alley that led to the ruins was free, when he stopped abruptly, sensing the frosty air, swirling around his feet. The cold air was coming from the right alley and he quickly backed away into the shadows, watching intently and waiting. He could practically feel his heart beating somewhere near his throat, chanting all the time to calm down. When he caught a glimpse of a dark cloak, he stopped breathing for a second, his eyes widening when he spotted a cloaked figure floating across the end of the alley. It stopped and turned its head in his direction, and Tristan froze. He could almost feel the creature scanning the alley and was already prepared to run, when the creature turned its head away and floated down the path again, disappearing behind the wall, together with the chilly air it left as a reminder...

"I think they are strolling constantly around," he replied in a whisper, this time leaning back slightly to avoid another bump on the head. Yuugi sighed dejectedly and Ishizu narrowed her eyes.

"So, they're still after us," she added, silently trying to come up with a plan how to reach the crossroad without having to meet the monsters again. Their last _rendezvous_ ended almost fatally for all of them. "But we have to get to the ruins somehow...we just _have to_."

Tristan and Yuugi exchanged helpless and clueless glances, wondering how to get away from their current situation, as well. Ishizu straightened up, placing a stern expression on her face. The boys stared at her, slightly apprehensive of her next move.

"We have no other option," she chided when they realized what her intentions were and started to object. "It's a risk, I know, but-"

"But, they're all over the place!" Tristan cut in, hissing nervously. Ishizu's expression became even harder and it became clear to them that she wouldn't give up so easily. Yuugi's face faulted. She sure was a stubborn one.

"Choose the alley." She said firmly to Tristan who gaped at her first then looked at her incredulously.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked, not believing his ears.

"Us," Yuugi corrected him humbly from the right. Ishizu shook her head sternly, the serious and unyielding expression still evident on her face.

"It's the only chance we've got, Tristan," she added, and shoving the bust into Yuugi's hands, placed a determined look on her face, stepped forward and peeped behind the wall. Seeing no one, she turned around and waved at them to follow her. When she disappeared behind the wall, Tristan looked at Yuugi who only shrugged helplessly. Tristan deadpanned then glanced at the bust in Yuugi's hands; the main cause of their trouble.

"You better hide that thing," he told him and Yuugi quickly hid the bust beneath his t-shirt. Tristan suppressed the urge to cackle, due to the fact that Yuugi looked like he was expecting a baby. Yuugi just gave him a dirty look. After they peeked behind the wall and saw Ishizu glaring at them angrily, they both sighed in unison and preparing themselves for one, long night, vanished behind the wall and into the darkness.

**#:#:#**

"Where is that damn crossroad now when you need it?" Joey mumbled in Arabic and into Mai's ear until she couldn't stand his constant jabbering and growled at him to either shut up or speak in English. He grinned sheepishly and muttered an apology...in English this time.

Mai sighed tiredly, wanting nothing more than to hit the bed and fall asleep. Or maybe to take off her shoes...or take a shower, she could still feel that monster's skeletal hand on her head when it tried to get a hold of her. She wondered briefly where they were going and where did the others end up when Joey stopped and decided to take a break. Dragging and supporting a girl all the way down the numerous alleys was becoming a tiring job.

Turning around, he saw nothing but the dark alley and a few stones reflecting the moonlight. Mai sighed wearily when he let go of her for a moment to take a few breaths. She plopped down on the cold stone and immediately winced at the sharpness of the rocky ground. Supporting herself on the wall of the alley, she got up and leaned onto it, marveling in the coolness slightly. She needed that. When Joey reminded her that leaning on the wall like that wasn't healthy, she waved her hand at him dismissively and sighed again. Looking around, she tried to distinguish where they were, but didn't get far with that – everywhere she looked, she saw either darkness or the stones of the alley. Plus – they all looked the same to her, anyway.

"Where are we?" She asked him, exasperated and tired of everything. Her feet were killing her, and she could sense a headache coming on. She growled, glaring at the sky and putting a hand on her forehead. Joey glanced at her once, before he redirected his eyes to the other end of the alley, the one they came through. He scrutinized the darkness, trying to see if there was someone who could represent a threat to them, but saw no one.

"I don't know."

Silence filled the already dead alley as two young people stared ahead, deep in thoughts.

Joey wondered about Serenity's whereabouts. When he last saw her – she ran away down the alley with...Seto Kaiba. He growled involuntarily, gaining Mai's attention.

"In pain?" She asked him, glancing at him for a second. He leaned on the wall as well, gazing at the sky worriedly. Moonlight cast one silvery beam through one side of the alley and lit their faces slightly. Joey shook his head, not noticing Mai's frown...how come no one was in pain like she was?

"I'm worried about Serenity," he replied calmly, and Mai lowered her head, slightly ashamed for acting like a spoiled brat. "I wonder if she is all right."

"She is," Mai assured him, her gentle voice filling the hollowness of the street. "As long as she's not alone, she'll be okay."

Joey snorted. "That's the point – she's with that stuck – up moron."

Mai looked at him oddly, trying to remember whom he was talking about, when it rang to her. "Ahh, then she's with Seto Kaiba." Joey snorted even louder now.

"Exactly." He frowned and crossed his hands absentmindedly. Deciding not to pry any further, Mai sighed heavily and averted her eyes towards the sky again. They spent a few minutes like that, in complete silence until Mai shivered slightly, and embraced herself with her hands. Joey turned around to see the blond journalist shiver and took the first layer of his robes off, offering it to her. She stared at the robes for a moment, observing the simple piece of fabric before she took the robe from his hands carefully and thanked him. He smiled warmly at her and she got lost in that smile of his for a moment before she blushed and he mistook it as a sign that she got sick.

"I told you not to lean on that wall," he commented a few moments later when she turned her head away in embarrassment after he put his hand on her forehead to check if she had high temperature.

"I'm fine," she retorted quickly, then, not knowing how else to react, added hastily "You were also leaning on the wall as I remember!"

Joey looked at her in confusion, slightly puzzled by her sudden, offensive behavior. Mai caught herself acting like a spoiled brat again and muttered an apology silently. She put his robe on and smiled slightly when a wave of warmth passed through her body.

"Thanks," she said honestly and smiled at him. Joey blinked again, baffled by her changes in behavior. Must be a girl thing, he thought, but smiled back nonetheless. He stared in awe at her glimmering, violet orbs, lit by the moonlight until she blushed again. He snapped suddenly out of his daze, sensing chilliness in the air. He stiffened and Mai looked at him worriedly.

"What?" she asked him but he stopped her with a motion of his hand. Listening carefully, he could hear nothing, but already shuddering because of the cool air around him, decided not to take any chances again after they barely managed to flee.

"Let's go," he said in a deep voice and Mai blinked in puzzlement. It was so nice to spend some time alone with him and now he was urging her to move. She didn't protest, however, when he picked her up in his arms and ordered her to be quiet.

"Okay," she murmured silently, feeling content and happy but when she also felt the familiar breath of cool air she stiffened as well and gasped, realizing why they had to leave so suddenly.

"We have to get to the ruins," he said quietly and she nodded mutely. Just when Joey turned to the left and vanished behind the wall, a cloaked figure appeared on the opposite side of the alley. It was observing the empty alley for a moment, before it let out a raspy sound and disappeared again.

**#:#:#**

Kaiba hated being helpless. What he hated even more was _asking_ someone for help...Now, almost hanging down the dangerously swaying rock, he had no choice.

Cringing inwardly and gritting his teeth, he already opened his mouth to ask the most hated thing to say, when Serenity turned around and offered him his hand.

They were climbing up the hard, slippery rocks that remained of the old house once it fell apart many years ago. Nobody bothered to move the rocks away so now they were scattered around, and making a pile in the middle of the street.

"Here," Serenity said, breathing heavily after managing to climb all the way up. She turned around just in time to help her companion climb up. Kaiba stared at her hand for a second before he grabbed it and Serenity had to kneel down in order to pull him up and avoid falling down together with him.

He was panting slightly when she pulled him on the top of the pile. Looking around he saw that they were pretty high above the ground and had to close his eyes for a second to avoid a sudden wave of dizziness. He was used to the heights, but after climbing up the pile of dirty rocks and suddenly getting up after that made everyone slightly wobbly and dizzy.

Serenity sighed in relief when she finally reached the top. It was a dangerous way up and she almost slipped and fell once. Luckily, the taller boy managed to grab her by the waist before she fell. She forgot to thank him for that and she turned around to do that, but discovered she had to crane her neck up to be able to see him.

"Thank you," she said softly, smiling at him and offering him his hand again. Kaiba stared at her, slightly surprised then stared at her outstretched hand.

"For what?" He asked her, still a bit confused. As far as he remembered, no one really thanked him for anything. This was definitely something new. Serenity smiled at him again, noticing his unusual discomfort.

"For saving me when I almost fell," she replied simply and took his hand in his, placing her other hand atop of his in a polite manner. He lowered his head to look at the gesture and felt strange. One, until now, completely unfamiliar feeling crept around and...scared him. He quickly pulled his hand away, leaving Serenity now puzzled.

"Hmph," he muttered under his breath, pushing the feeling down and trying to smother it. Serenity blinked at him in confusion until she looked past him, gasping and pointing at something behind him. Kaiba turned around swiftly to see a few cloaked creatures approaching the pile of rocks, skeletal hands reaching out to grab edges of the pile. Kaiba cursed under his breath, glaring at the monsters then heard another gasp in front of him.

Stepping back abruptly, Serenity slipped on one of the rocks and felt that pang in her chest that signaled both danger and fear. The rocks around her turned and disappeared and now she was looking at the sky and the moon, turning down as well, until she stopped suddenly, hanging on the half way down the rock, brownish hair swaying underneath her.

Kaiba's eyes widened slightly when he saw her falling down. Reaching instinctively for her hand, he grabbed it and steadied himself on the pile. The girl let out a frightened whimper and closed her eyes for a moment. When he turned around, he saw the monsters crawling their way up slowly, and not wanting to waste another second, pulled the girl to him, grabbing her by the shoulders.

Serenity let out a startled gasp, staring at a pair of deep, blue eyes.

"Which way?" He barked, alerted. She blinked once, not realizing what he meant. When she spotted one skinny and whitish hand reaching up the rock behind him, she shrieked and quickly turned in his hands, now aware again of their destination.

"The ruins are there!" She yelled and started jumping down the rocks, not paying attention to the sharp edges and slippery surfaces. Kaiba kicked the upcoming creature with his leg, sending him falling down and on top of another one. The third, that managed to dodge the two remaining, kept on climbing until he scarcely managed to see the outline of the falling stone before it hit him and he tumbled down with a shrill.

"Come on!" Kaiba turned to see Serenity already crawling down one, heavy rock and jumping down to the solid ground. He followed her path, but not before taking a deep breath and smirking for making the creatures topple over the rocks all the way to the other side of the pile.

**#:#:#**

"Can't we stop...already?" Tea huffed, trying to run and talk at the same time. Her chest burned with such intensity she wondered how come she could still breathe at all. She wanted to stop and marvel in the sight of the pyramids for a few moments, when the thief grabbed her by the hand and pulled her roughly again. She didn't stop complaining for a few minutes until his patience slipped away and he snapped at her to shut up already.

She's been quiet since then, sulking at him all this time, until she finally couldn't run anymore and had to stop by one, solitary rock that was standing in the middle of the sand, probably left of some old, ancient structure that was once lying there.

Bakura let out a shaky sigh, reminding himself all the time that she wasn't like him and he should expect nothing more. He stopped, putting his arms on his waist, observing the sky angrily. He was frowning and growling silently, cursing the moment when he decided to steal the bust from the museum. He didn't know himself why he wanted to have it – he simply had this urge to possess it, to own it. And he was a man who was guided by his instincts and impulses.

Glaring at the brown haired girl who was sitting on the sand and breathing rapidly, he noticed a shadow not so far away. It was quick and it made him wonder if he really saw anything, but his trained eyes rarely missed anything like that. Someone was perhaps, still after them, and they didn't seem to escape their pursuers after all...He didn't want to take chances anymore.

"Get up," he ordered and the girl looked at him, giving him a dirty look, and still breathing exasperatedly. "Somebody is maybe still after us." He added slowly and she blinked then turned her head to look at the rocks and wrecked walls they left behind. She narrowed her eyes to try and see someone but saw no one.

"I don't' see anyone," she replied, still staring at the rocks, and the shadows they made due to the moonlight. Bakura rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Well what did you expect? To see signals in the air?" He retorted and she frowned, glaring at him again. "Get up." He repeated and leaned down to grab her by her upper arm when she sighed heavily and got up herself. Turning around suddenly, she almost bumped her forehead against his, and they stood like that for a few seconds, looking in each other's eyes intently.

Tea stared helplessly into the depths of his dark orbs, feeling lost and confused again. Why was he having that kind of affect on her, was beyond her. She knew she felt odd and almost giddy, excited and...he leaned in slightly, making her stop breathing. Her eyes widened slightly when she felt his breath on her face.

Bakura's mind was screaming at him to stop, to lean back, to run away as far as possible from the girl, but his body was glued to the spot and he couldn't help himself. Her eyes were captivating, glimmering under the silver moonlight and her lips were so inviting. He could feel himself leaning down, completely loosing every shred of reasoning and mental activity, forgetting about the ruins, forgetting about the mysterious shadow behind them...

One final thought that still managed to reach his mind before his lips met hers was - _She is mine_.


	18. Measures

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh – isn't it obvious? I mean – would I be writing _this_ if I owned it? Nope!

**A/N**

I updated! [Faints from shock]

Ahem, sorry about my lack of updates and all, but I've been really, _really_ busy lately and couldn't even find time for myself, let alone for writing. I hope you can forgive me...[puppy dog eyes]

Anyway, I _finally_ managed to write this chapter; took me long enough, yes, yes – I know. Oh, and before I forget - I'd like to thank Andrea for pointing out my mistakes and becoming a great friend!

So, here's the new chapter and I hope you'll like it. Of course, you're free to drop me reviews, comments, questions...just go ahead and click that little box down there...go on, don't be afraid! [Smirks]

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XVII – Measures**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The sand was still warm under Marik's feet, but he couldn't feel the warmth due to the fact that he wasn't barefooted. He was currently hiding behind one solid rock, his cloak slightly billowing on the soft breeze and the hood shadowing his face. The malicious gleam in his eyes, however, couldn't go unnoticed. He was observing the two people not so far away from his current hideout, waiting patiently and plotting his next move. The darkness around the rock that was shadowed due to the moonlight was definitely a plus and he enjoyed watching the two arguing. His eyes revealed a curious and slightly surprised gleam when he saw the thief leaning down to kiss the brown haired girl. He smirked, letting a malevolent chuckle. Who would've thought...

The first sensation that struck Tea after the thief pressed his lips firmly against hers, was shock. She stared wide – eyed at his face so close to hers and couldn't see anything except his closed eyes and his whitish hair, falling softly around his shoulders and to her face. After the shock subsided, she closed her eyes as well, not being able to resist the wave of emotions surging through her wildly anymore. She felt slightly lightheaded and her knees buckled a bit, but Bakura was already having a firm grip around her waist and she found herself being pressed tightly, almost possessively against him. Her mind barely registered the fact that it was Bakura, the thief, the man who kidnapped her and threatened her with a knife that was kissing her right now, but that thought vanished somewhere quickly when the kiss deepened and the thief became more demanding.

They stood like that, motionless, the moonlight illuminating them, and casting one, oddly shaped shadow on the soft sand. Tea's mind was spinning madly and it barely registered that it was time to pull apart to breathe in some air. Her lungs, however, objected and she grabbed him by the shoulders, steadying herself after she pulled away from him, panting heavily. She didn't dare to look him in the eyes so she stared at the sand instead. The blush on her face was evident even more on the moonlight and she looked both flustered and adorable to the white haired thief. She felt so lightheaded.

Bakura still held her by the waist, not wanting to let go so soon of something, he just claimed as his. Yes, she was his and the thought excited him, almost close to the exhilaration he felt after a very successful heist, when he would run off with the prize, not get caught and then marvel in his dandy work and another gained possession. Not that she was just a normal _possession._ No, she was just _his,_ a girl that belonged to him only. He smirked when he noticed the look of discomfort and embarrassment on her face. She was staring down at her feet, refusing to look up at him. He let out a chuckle, enjoying her flustered looks and grasped her chin, making her look at him. Cerulean eyes were wide with astonishment and, there he smirked again, hidden passion. He leaned in to kiss her again, but stopped abruptly when he looked past her to observe the shadows behind them. His eyes caught a glimpse of something moving, for barely a second, but it was there. Tea noticed his concerned frown and turned around slightly in his embrace.

When she turned back, he was looking at her intently and she swallowed.

"Maybe we should, uhm..." she started, her voice cracking a bit and she cringed inwardly, hoping he didn't notice her chagrin. Bakura smirked at her, currently innocent and shy demeanor and released her from his grip reluctantly. He still held her by the hand, and looking one more time at the threatening shadows behind them, turned around and she yelped slightly when he pulled her by the hand. She muttered something incoherent, thinking how, after the exchanged moments of affection, he would at least act more gently towards her.

"Let's go," he ordered in a serious tone and she followed after him, occasionally tripping and stumbling due to her shoes sinking in the sand constantly. "The ruins are not so far away." He added, another hand clutching the knife in his robes tightly.

Marik cursed the moment silently and stopped following them. He was very close to approaching them while they were still _busy_, but then they had to stop and he had to hide back into the shadows of the stone. Through the hood, he could see how the thief tried to scrutinize the darkness that surrounded him safely, but he knew he was still too far away for him to see anything. After a moment of discussion, they started walking forward, leaving him behind. He swore in the shadows of the rock and grayish eyes narrowed malevolently. As he watched their retreating figures, he smirked; it didn't matter how far they got, they would have to face him in the end; him and the ancient Amukh. That moment was approaching steadily and with a vicious smile, he turned around, walking back and sticking to the shadows. For now, he would go back and join Amukh; they still had one final thing to find – the Third Soul, the bust of Anubis.

* * *

****

Ishizu sighed in relief when she managed to reach the end of the alleys without having to meet the cloaked ogres. Now, looking at the soft sand in front of her, glistening almost brilliantly on the moonlight, she realized just how tired and exhausted she was. All that adrenalin from sneaking, running and hiding made her apprehensive and aware of her surroundings, but now when she reached the first destination, she stopped briefly to wipe her forehead and tuck a few loose strands of dark hair where they belonged.

She turned around quickly when she heard funny noises behind her and sighed in relief when she saw her companions, panting heavily and bent from exhaustion as well. Yuugi was on the verge of collapsing down to the ground, but managed to keep himself up on his feet, resting one hand on his knee, still clutching the bust under his t-shirt and breathing heavily. Tristan rested his hand on the little wrecked wall beside him, leaning slightly against it. Ishizu smiled softly, glad that they made it, although they almost ran into one of the monsters on their way; luckily, the creature didn't notice them since they quickly hid into the shadows. They also stumbled across one old beggar in the middle of the alley, and Yuugi, not being able to resist the old man's outstretched hand, fished through his pocket a bit and managed to find a few coins. The old man, whose eyes were so tired and squinted that Yuugi wondered if he could even see him, mumbled something in Arabic and bowed as much as his spine allowed him to.

"What did he say?" Yuugi asked Tristan, after he only managed to understand the word 'Allah' between his mumbles.

"May Allah be with you, young foreigner," he replied.

Ishizu was observing the younger Mutou for a while, noticing how he had the same hair and eyes like his grandfather...there she stopped, wondering briefly if Solomon was all right when Tristan interrupted her, still out of breath slightly.

"We're...almost there," he managed to choke out between gasps for air and Ishizu nodded slowly, still in deep thoughts. Turning around, she looked at the desert intently, noticing the pyramids in the distance, visible only as dark objects, slightly illuminated by the moonlight. They seemed almost sinister and ominous like that, still standing there and refusing to budge under the influence of thousands of years. Ishizu took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, thinking about the Ruins of the Doomed and what awaited them there.

"Yes," she replied quietly, almost absentmindedly, "almost there."

Tristan straightened up a bit, regaining his composure a bit and ready to move on. He looked at Yuugi almost sympathetically, when he noticed that the younger man was still bent and staring at the mixture of the rock and the sand under his feet now.

"You okay?" he asked him and Yuugi raised his head a bit to look at him. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead but he smiled at him encouragingly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied with a slightly raspy voice, "we should get going." He added and looked at Ishizu who nodded at him with a soft smile. Tristan looked at him for a moment, thinking about something then patted him on the shoulder.

"Give me that thing," he said and pointed at the bust beneath his t-shirt. Yuugi gave him a questioning look before Tristan nodded and stretched his hand out. Yuugi glanced at the bust; still hidden neatly behind his t-shirt then slowly pulled his shirt up slightly and retrieved the clay-like thing. He handed it to Tristan carefully and he hid it under his robes now.

"There," he said with a smile, patting the bulge beneath his robes, "it's my turn now." Yuugi grinned at him then started walking after Ishizu who was already on her way across the soft sand.

Not so far away, amidst a labyrinth of alleys, Joey and Mai were trying to keep a low profile, sneaking and hiding in the comforting shadows of the walls. It there wasn't for the moonlight illuminating their path they would end up god knows where in the end. Joey shifted every now and then, still supporting Mai as best as he could. He had to admit, though, that he was afraid his spine would crack if he tried to straighten up and all the pressure Mai was applying to his arm was making it numb so he had a feeling as if he had no arm at all. Still, he tried to get them as far away from the cloaked creatures and to the ruins. The latter, however, currently seemed like wishful thinking.

Joey had a vague idea where the path was leading to, and how to get to the ruins, and he wasn't quite sure and positive in his own memory. When he voiced his doubts and suspicions to the blond journalist, she almost shrieked at him, eyes wide with sheer horror.

"Are you saying we got lost?" She spat out, loud enough for him to hear and cringe since she spat it out right into his ear. He stopped walking for a moment to take a few breaths and Mai let go of him for a second to take a break herself. They stared at nothing in particular, lost in thoughts until Joey managed to straighten up with gritted teeth. The action was followed by a loud, cracking sound and he grimaced slightly. Mai simply glared ahead, crossing her arms. She wanted to scream from all that frustration and anger that was slowly rising inside her and now the Egyptian boy told her they got lost...in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night and with a herd of cloaked zombies after them. Oh, yes – life was great.

Just when she was about to yell at him for getting them in trouble again, he clasped a hand over her mouth, raising his other hand in the air. Mai closed her mouth shut, listening intently. From the nearby, they could hear footsteps, rushed and almost frantic. It seemed like somebody was running.

The two of them exchanged alarmed glances, already thinking the worst. Joey quickly grabbed her around the waist, pulling her closer to him and backed to the wall himself. Footsteps were starting to become more audible but now they could also hear that whoever was approaching them, wasn't alone – there was another pair of footsteps heard, following close behind.

"Be still," Joey commanded in a whisper to Mai and she nodded, violet eyes wide with fear and anxiety. When the footsteps were so near that it seemed like they were almost behind the corner, Mai gripped the edges of Joey's shirt frantically, and he gulped slowly, praying for those footsteps to go far away from the alley they were currently hiding in.

Darkness and shadows protected them for now, and they were both staring intently into the direction of the upcoming footsteps. Who ever they were, they were quite near now, and Joey squinted his eyes to try and see who was approaching them. Mai, on the other hand, turned her head away from the other end of the alley and buried her face in Joey's left arm. She didn't want to see anyone...or any _thing._

Joey's eyes widened when he heard voices, one of them being quite familiar.

"This way!" Someone said hastily and Joey gasped in wonder and relief, making Mai turn her head back and look just in time to see two shadows running past the other end of the alley. Joey, not thinking about anything anymore, released Mai and ran forward.

"Serenity!"

The girl with brownish hair stopped abruptly, making her taller companion almost bumping into her. Kaiba groaned quietly and turned around to see the source of the voice that called for them.

"Joey?" Serenity asked, still out of breath and slightly bewildered. She turned around so quickly that she almost lost her balance and had to grab Kaiba's hand to steady herself. He looked at her somewhat surprised, but sighed in exasperation when he heard footsteps behind them and turned around to see the blond Egyptian, standing in the middle of the street and looking at them wide-eyed.

"Sister!" He breathed out, not feeling so incredibly happy since he managed to find a job as a tourist guide. She was looking at him in some sort of wonder, before she leapt forward, almost pushing Kaiba away and hugged him with such force she almost sent them flying down.

"Joey!" She exclaimed happily, still holding him tightly. A few tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed slightly. "Are you okay? Nothing happened to you?"

Joey patted her hair gently and released her from his bear hug. "No," he replied softly, looking at her thoroughly to see if she was hurt or anything. Spotting Kaiba behind her, his eyes narrowed slightly, observing the taller young man who was currently glaring at them and crossed his hands in annoyance.

"Hi Serenity," another voice called that belonged to the blue journalist. Mai peeked behind the corner of the alley she was still hiding in, just in case. When she saw the young girl and recognized her as Joey's sister, she sighed in relief.

Serenity looked at her and immediately hugged her as well. Mai blinked a few times, never expecting to see someone so happy to see her.

"Mai!" Serenity cried out, making her cringe slightly, and she hugged her back awkwardly, patting her back and trying not to look too uncomfortable. She was never quite good at all that touchy-feely stuff, anyway.

While the girls were busy with exchanging the stories, impressions and all the events that happened, Joey approached Kaiba and looked at him suspiciously. The CEO gave him a cold look then glared at the wall. Joey's eyes narrowed again wearily.

"You haven't done anything to her, have you?" He asked him, his voice cold and his demeanor threatening. Kaiba looked at him again and resisted the urge to snort at him. Instead, he simply glared at him and kept his stance calmly.

"Because if you have, I will find out and then I'll-"

"Relax, Wheeler," Kaiba interrupted him coolly, smirking at him now, "nothing happened to your little sister. She wouldn't be here if that was the case, now would she?"

Joey blinked then lowered his head, clenching his fists.

"I'm warning you..." he growled ominously and caught the attention of the two who were still chatting behind them. Serenity was the first who stepped between them quickly and raised her hands in the air.

"Please, don't start fighting again!" She exclaimed worriedly and then sighed in relief when Joey snorted and left to check up on Mai, while Kaiba let out one, proud 'hmph' and turned his head away to glare at the walls again.

Mai was surprised to find Joey placing his hand around her waist and the other one around her shoulder. She didn't protest, though; she actually started to like that but then quickly shook her head when she realized in what direction were her thoughts going. Luckily for her, Joey didn't notice her blush but Serenity did and looked at her oddly. Mai just lowered her head and decided to be quiet.

"I hope you know where the ruins are, because my memory became a bit rusty, sis," Joey commented when they moved on. Serenity and Kaiba were leading the way and Serenity smiled softly at him when she heard his remark.

"Don't worry," she replied simply, walking down the alley carefully, "I know the way."

"Good," Mai added in a spiteful voice, "because I can't wait to see something else than these damn walls!"

* * *

The sudden commotion in the spacious room made its owner look up from his current position of admiring the bust in his hands. Malicious, emerald eyes narrowed, not glad for the disturbance. He placed the bust back into the briefcase and closed it carefully.

Marik looked at Amukh questioningly, then at the cloaked minions in front of them. The row split in the middle and one cloaked creature approached them slowly, hunched and bent in all the respect and trepidation. The ancient Priest was someone you didn't want to make angry. He bowed respectfully in front of him when he reached the end of the carpet and stopped in front of the stairs that separated him from the throne and his ruler.

Marik's eyebrows rose up at the sight of the cloaked creature; he was wondering what was so important that he dared to come in and break the comfortable silence.

He was already ready to bark at the minion to get lost, but his voice got stuck in his throat when Amukh suddenly gasped and rose from the throne so abruptly that he almost made it fall back. The ancient Priest took one, cautious step forward and Marik was slightly puzzled with his behavior but when the cloaked ogre raised his hands up and presented something in them, things became clear.

"Marvelous," Amukh breathed out in some sort of wonder and trance, stretching one hand up to summon the last bust to him - the bust of Anubis.

The creature let his skeletal hands fall down when the bust rose from his hands and floated to the hands of the ancient Priest. Marik watched in wonder how the Priest observed the bust, patted it so affectionately as if the bust was his child. When Amukh let one, blood-curling chuckle, Marik suddenly became aware of the immense power he had and possessed.

"I know what you're thinking, my dear Marik," Amukh coaxed gently, letting the bust turn and spin in the air above his hands, "and this is indeed something very precious to me." He added and Marik resisted the urge to flinch under his words.

"Do you see all these minions in front of me?" He asked him suddenly and turned around to look at him. Marik's eyes flew to the left, observing the rows of cloaked creatures, all down on their knees and waiting. Amukh sensed his curiosity.

"Do you know who they are? Who they were?" He ventured and Marik shook his head slightly. The ancient Priest chortled malevolently and turned once more to observe the spinning bust in the air.

"All these little, pathetic creatures in front of me are the Lost Souls, my dear Marik," he replied calmly, emerald eyes scanning every creature in front of him. Marik's brows creased down in a confused frown.

Noticing his puzzlement, the Priest decided to explain.

"The Lost Souls are the souls of every man, peasant, thief and even the souls of kings who have heard about the legend once and wanted to find it. Unsuccessfully, of course," he stopped to make a brief pause by looking at them with a faux pity, "because they all failed."

Marik started to realize now who they were and why they were so frighteningly scary and hideous. They were dead and now brought back to life.

"Their insatiable desire to find it and get their hands on it made me find them," Amukh said with a note of amusement in his voice, "and control them. They want nothing more than to be in its near." He added with a smirk, letting the bust fall into his hands now softly. He took a deep breath, marveling in the sight of it briefly, before he placed it into the briefcase next to the other one and closed it securely. He sat down on the throne again authoritatively and rested his hands on the throne calmly. His eyes, on the contrary, were burning with such intensity, Marik had to divert his gaze from them. Emerald eyes were filled with such intense need, and raw emotions, greed for power and revenge.

Before Marik could even blink, Amukh's eyes narrowed suddenly and he leaned into the throne firmly.

"Prepare everything necessary for our trip, Marik," he commanded, glancing at the briefcase for a moment. Marik snapped out of his stupor and nodded sharply at his command, ready to leave with the minions.

"Wait!" Amukh stopped him abruptly and he stopped in a mid-step. Turning around, he saw him stretching his hands towards the cloaked ogres. A sudden blaze of light flashed through the room and Marik closed his eyes quickly to open them a few moments later and realize that the creatures were all on their feet. The amount of chilliness in the room intensified and their cloaks started to billow, this time more forcefully.

Noticing his confusion, Amukh let out a chuckle and leaned into the throne again.

"You don't expect me to send my soldiers into the battle unprepared, do you?"

Marik exchanged one last, knowing glance with a pair of emerald eyes, before he ordered them all to move. The commotion in the hall ensued again before they all disappeared and left the ancient Priest sitting on the throne alone, leaning his chin on his clenched fist coolly.

After a few minutes spent in silence and concentration, he opened his eyes and smirked maliciously. He got up from the throne slowly and straightened his business suit. Fixing his tie casually, he started walking down the carpet, footsteps echoing through the deserted room.

When he reached the end of the room, he turned around, raised his hand and summoned the briefcase that flew to his hand immediately.

"Ahh," he said with a wicked smile, "it's time to get your little friend."

Glancing at the briefcase cruelly this time, he snickered malevolently and resumed walking out of the room.

"And I know just where to find it."


	19. Reunion

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Now, it's definitely official.

**A/N**

My God...I'm on the chapter 18...I honestly hope you don't mind me making so many of them, but I really didn't want to rush this story and all. I like it when things go slow and natural. Ahem, anyway, thank you for the reviews; they really are the encouragement and the inspiration I need to keep writing.

Right - now, let's move on.

**The legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XVIII – Reunion**

-by Alena S. Anigor

Tea was standing in the middle of the, what she realized were the Ruins of the Doomed. She was still panting heavily, but at least, they managed to reach their destination. Still, she almost stepped on one of the scorpions, crawling near the ruins, but luckily, Bakura warned her on time, and she almost screamed when he suddenly retrieved his knife, raised his hand and threw the sharp blade down. It landed swiftly in the middle of the scorpion's back, swaying slightly. Tea gaped at the sight for a few moments, trying to collect herself from the initial shock.

"You could've...you could've hurt me!" She accused him a minute later on which he only smirked and disappeared behind one solid rock. She was left to stand there alone, looking around and observing the ruins. On the soft moonlight, they almost did look creepy and threatening and Tea hugged herself protectively, an unsettling feeling making her nervous and cautious. When Bakura suddenly emerged from the shadows and touched her shoulder, she jumped and screamed again, making the thief look at her oddly.

"Would you stop doing that!" She yelled at him after she tried to smack him on the head unsuccessfully. He only let out a chuckle then told her to follow him. Tea looked behind him and saw only walls and one narrow looking path. She glanced at him in confusion.

"Where to? I thought we were here," she asked him, after he pulled her by the hand. He led her through that narrow path until they reached a small area that reminded her of a small room. All around them were wrecked walls and solid rocks thrown around, and she couldn't comprehend what was supposed to be here. Her confusion turned into surprise when Bakura stepped forward, bent down and pushed one flat piece of rock aside, revealing a hole in the ground. He stood up and turned around, looking at her smugly.

"There is an underground chamber beneath the old ruin," he explained and stepped aside to stretch his hands and motion for her to step into it. "Ladies first," he added with mock courtesy. 

Tea stared at the dark hole in the ground warily, then crossed her hands and looked at him with a frown. "No way," she retorted grimly, "I'm not going down there."

Bakura's smug expression quickly turned into an annoyed one. "Then you'd rather spend the night outside, with those ogres free to get you?" He asked her, making her grimace at the sheer thought of cloaked creatures, hovering above her and stretching those skeletal hands to get her...

Tea shook her head quickly, and glared at the thief then at the hole for a good minute. "Fine," she said after a moment of consideration, "but you go first."

Bakura sighed in irritation and turned around. "Fine."

In a second, he jumped into the hole and disappeared again. Tea could hear him jump down; it didn't seem like the underground chamber was so deep down below. When she heard him mumbling to get her butt down there already, she sighed then carefully approached the hole, and looked inside. She could only see darkness and nothing else, and started wondering where Bakura went. She almost yelped when she saw a pair of strong hands reaching up for her and grabbing her by the shoulders. Bakura pulled her down, laughing at her childish squeaks while she was yelling at him to put her down.

"Foolish girl," he muttered when she managed to smack him on the head this time angrily. He put her down carefully, and she landed softly on the ground. Although she couldn't see anything she could still feel the coldness around her, making her embrace herself once more around the shoulders. She could hear Bakura fiddle with something not so far away until she heard a cracking sound and then light flickering in front of her. Bakura was holding a box of matches in his hand, lighting the candle that was hanging on the wall of the chamber dully. Now, Tea could have a chance to glance around. The chamber was not very large but it was definitely more spacious than that shed he was holding her in for a while. The air was dry and cool and she could see a few hieroglyphs, embedded in the wall in front of her. She observed them for a while, trying to remember some of them, but none of them seemed familiar to her. But then again, she knew only the basic alphabet and hieroglyphs had many other shapes and meanings she didn't know about. Perhaps, Ishizu could decipher them, she thought then let out a soft sigh. Bakura turned around to look at her and saw that she was staring at the wall with hieroglyphs numbly. He approached her and looked at the ancient markings on the wall, as well.

"I wonder where Ishizu and Yuugi and others are right now," she whispered quietly, making him look at her sternly. "I wish they could come already," she ventured softly then looked at him suddenly, making him stare at her in wonder. The candlelight illuminated her features perfectly, making her look almost magical and serene. Tea stared back at him then flinched suddenly when she felt something crawl over her shoe. She looked down and almost shrieked, seeing a huge rat passing nonchalantly by.

"Rats!" She yelled in panic and quickly jumped behind Bakura, grabbing his hand. The thief stared at her for a moment, then chuckled a few times and in the end started laughing out loud, his laughter echoing through the dim chamber. Tea looked at him as if he just insulted her.

"It's not funny! That thing that was supposed to be a rat could easily be mistaken for a cat, you know!" She yelled angrily and then growled when he continued on laughing. When he finally stopped, he turned around and saw her staring at him with a look that could kill.

"Feh," he snorted, "afraid of the petty rat!" He commented then turned back to look at the gap in the wall where the said rat disappeared in. Tea crossed her hands irately, glaring at the other wall instead. Jokes aside, Bakura got serious now; glancing at few stony stairs that led to the hole they jumped through. He dragged the flat looking rock back but left a little gap to be able to hear when someone approached the ruins.

He remembered the man with a turban suddenly and quite unexpectedly and turned to Tea again, curious. When he managed to catch him with such strength that made his bones crack, he could only stare heatedly at him and wait to see what happened to him. Then, he was dragged to the hall of the museum and presented like some kind of object for everyone to see. The man with a turban said something about him being some kind of soul...what was that supposed to mean?

"The souls," he said abruptly, making Tea glance at him curiously, "what is this whole thing about? Who are those damn creatures and what do they want?" He asked her, his face now serious, eyes sharp and narrowed in concentration. Tea stared back at him for a few seconds; not understanding herself what was really going on. She remembered Shadi saying something to all of them back in the museum, something about the souls and the legend and...

"The legend of the Three Souls," she breathed, her mind practically screaming the name at her. Bakura, however, was still puzzled and unsatisfied with the answer.

"What?" He asked her, dark orbs glistening with confusion. Tea redirected her eyes to the hieroglyphs involuntarily, cerulean orbs flickering with sudden comprehension. The legend of the Three Souls; the mysterious legend only a few heard about, and the busts...and Ishizu's discovery, and...Tea's eyes widened; it all fell into place now, pieces of puzzle finally managed to rejoin again. But, and there she looked at Bakura in wonder, what had it all to do with Bakura, and Yuugi and all of them in particular?

"I..." she started, looking at him helplessly, "I'm really not sure..."

Ishizu, together with Yuugi and Tristan was already halfway down the sandy path when she heard someone calling for them. Yuugi was the first who turned around and spotted Joey, waving at them and calling after them.

"It's Joey!" Tristan yelled, surprised. Ishizu turned around quickly and stared at the little group of people that was running towards them. She could see Joey tagging Mai behind him, and his sister, together with Seto Kaiba. Her lips curled into a wide smile, and she resisted the urge to start running towards them. She felt such joy for seeing them again that she wanted to scream. She clasped her hands in front of her instead, thanking Allah for brining them safely back. She was even happy to see Seto Kaiba.

When Joey let Mai to walk on her own, he started running more faster and reached Tristan and Yuugi first, enveloping them in a bear hug.

"I never thought I'd see you all again!" He let out, making the two boys blink at him in surprise. Ishizu laughed quietly, and then hugged him as well. Mai and Serenity exchanged hugs with them all, too. Seto Kaiba stood indifferently by their side. When Yuugi turned around to hug the next person, he halted, a pair of two, blazing blue eyes greeting him. Yuugi sweatdropped, already forgetting about Kaiba's reputation to remain a solid rock. But, he still outstretched his hand forward and smiled at the CEO. Kaiba stared at his hand for a while, then without a word, shook hands with him.

"We managed to avoid those monsters somehow, thank God," Mai said exasperatedly to Ishizu who nodded and listened carefully.

"Yeah, then we saw the three of you in the distance but we weren't sure at first," Serenity added happily, looking at them and smiling softly.

"But when we saw Yuugi's pointy hair, there was no doubt!" Joey finished enthusiastically which made the spiky-haired boy blush and everyone else laugh, except Kaiba of course, who was still standing stoically by the side, waiting patiently for them to stop with useless chitchat. He reminded them of that a few moments later, grimly stating that they have a place to go to. Ishizu opened her mouth in surprise, completely forgetting about the ruins.

"He is right," she agreed, turning around to look at the glistening sand, "we have to keep moving." Everyone else agreed as well, although Mai had some complaints; she wanted to take a rest for a few minutes. Joey smiled at her and offered his hand again. Although he looked tired and exhausted, he still offered his help to her, and she stared at him briefly, speechless. She blushed when he took her by the hand and headed forward after Yuugi and Tristan. Mai reminded herself to thank him later, when all was over. The boy definitely deserved it.

"Are you coming, Mr. Kaiba?" Serenity asked the taller young man and he glanced at her calmly before nodding curtly.

"By the way, Tristan," Joey asked, confused and perplexed, pointing at his robes, "What happened to you while we were gone?" He added, staring in wonder at the lump beneath his robes. Yuugi and Ishizu snickered quietly, knowing very well what was beneath it. Tristan didn't think it was funny, though and quickly retrieved the bust out of his robes to show it to him.

"This!" He snapped, a faint blush grazing his cheeks. Serenity and Mai giggled at the sight before Ishizu informed them that they were very close now. Everyone silenced down, looking at the outlines of the ancient ruins ahead, visible as dark and mysterious silhouettes in the night.

"I hope Tea is all right," was the only thing that Yuugi said while they were approaching the Ruins of the Doomed.

"But then again..." Tea was mumbling, her index finger on her chin, as she was walking around the chamber, making Bakura even more confused than he already was. "No, no, no, that couldn't be...or could it?" She looked up from the floor and at Bakura who arched his eyebrows at her quizzically.

"You're asking me?" He replied gruffly, already sick and tired of her tirades about various theories concerning the legend. It all sounded like useless jabbering to him, anyway. Tea sighed heavily, wanting so desperately to sit down but she could only either sit on the cold ground or keep walking around in circles. The latter was starting to make her dizzy, so she decided to join Bakura who was sitting on one of the stairs. She plopped down, exhausted, tired and with her stomach making numerous embarrassing growls and howls.

"I'm hungry," she said finally and looked at Bakura expectedly. He only snorted and looked away.

"You better get used to that," he replied somewhat coldly, "because I for example, haven't had a decent meal since I live here on the streets."

Tea's eyes saddened and she suddenly felt guilty for being hungry. She looked down and stared at her own shoes; barely visible from all the dust and sand they collected on the way. "How did you...I mean, when did you become a..." she stopped suddenly when she looked up again and saw the dangerous look in his narrowed eyes. Her eyes widened a bit, and she quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I-"

"A thief?" He finished her line quietly and looked at the wall on his right. Tea stopped babbling and lowered her head in chagrin. Bakura took a deep breath and smiled bitterly. It was quite odd to talk about his past with a girl he barely knew, but...in some twisted way, he felt as if she could understand him, as if she was as lonely and lost as he was deep down under.

"Since I was a child, I was forced to steal in order to survive," he started and Tea slowly raised her head to look at him. "I don't know who my parents were and I don't care...I grew up on the streets and they've become my home. I was alone, but I survived on my own..." He added almost solemnly then turned to look at her, his expression now changing into a curious one. "And you, Tea?"

Tea shifted uneasily and reverted her eyes from him. What was there to say? That she also lived all by herself, surviving by working as a secretary at a local company, that her parents deceased when she was sixteen years old and the only people she considered to be her siblings were Mai and Yuugi...

"I...Well, there's nothing much to say about me, really," she started and earned a snort from the thief who looked at her almost angrily and leaned in closer. Her breath got caught in her throat and she backed away a bit, but only to bump against the solid wall.

Bakura was leaning towards her until she couldn't move anymore and their noses were almost touching. He stared in her eyes intently, dark orbs mirroring in the cerulean ones. He opened his mouth and she was caught in his eyes, helpless.

"You're lying," he said in a low voice and she gasped softly. He frowned slightly, his eyes still glued to hers. "No matter what you say I can still see in your soul," he said again, making her almost squirm under his intent gaze, "because it's all in your eyes, girl, they reveal everything."

With that, he craned his neck a bit to kiss her but stopped abruptly when he heard voices coming from the near distance. Tea heard them as well and sent him one, frightened look. He quickly stood up, and blew at the candle, leaving only faint smoke behind. Tea backed away from the stairs and from the small gap in the rock above them to bump into him. He put his hand around her waist, the other one already holding the handle of the knife in his robes.

When Tea heard one faint "Shut up Joey!" she gasped and turned around to send Bakura one, happy look.

"It's them!" She exclaimed excitedly. Bakura narrowed his eyes, the voice familiar to him, as well but he was still reluctant to get out so quickly. When voices became more audible, Tea recognized Yuugi and Mai's voices and turned to Bakura again.

"Come on," she insisted, trying to wiggle out of his grasp, "it's them, Bakura! My friends are here!"

Bakura let her out of his grasp, quite unwillingly and helped her to move the rock above their heads. Tea hopped out as quickly as she could, running down the narrow path and then turned right to see the beginning of the ruins. The voices were there, right behind the corner and she let out a joyous laugh, turning behind the corner.

Ishizu screamed when Tea suddenly jumped out of nowhere in front of her, alarming everyone behind her who stopped hastily and got ready to fight with everything they possessed. When they saw Tea, hugging Ishizu tightly, they blinked, perplexed for a brief moment. When Mai recovered first from the shock, she forgot all about the pain and hurled at the two women to hug them as well.

"Tea!"

"Mai!"

Ishizu was stuck between them, smiling uneasily and sweatdropping while the others gawked at them. Finally, Yuugi approached them and hugged his childhood friend, as well. When Bakura suddenly appeared behind them, giving him a warning look, he quickly let go of her.

"Are you okay?"

"Nothing happened to you, guys?"

"Is anybody hurt?"

Questions were bombed among the girls, the boys watching them from aside. Tristan and Joey approached Yuugi and Bakura, Joey giving the thief a dirty look. Bakura glared at him for a few moments until Yuugi stepped between them, just in case.

Kaiba was standing nonchalantly by the side, but his head started to ache again. The white haired thief was the main cause for the rising headache, and he had to turn away quickly to avoid the explosion in his head. The explosion of images still happened and he clutched the bridge of his nose tightly, slightly bent. Visions of the white haired man swirled in front of him: the two of them standing in the middle of some kind of temple, praying while Yuugi was approaching them; an image of Bakura in the battle, wielding a sword to slash a hideous creature then a vision of the three of them again, on their knees with their hands raised, speaking in, to him, completely unfamiliar language.

"Mr. Kaiba!" Someone yelled worriedly and Kaiba opened his eyes to look at the worried expression of Serenity Wheeler. "Are you all right?"

Others stared at him oddly, Ishizu explaining to Tea something about visions Shadi told him he was having. Kaiba realized he was on his knees again, the fabric of his pants covered with sand. Why was he the only one who was experiencing those blasted visions? Slowly, he got up, still massaging his temples and trying to make the pain go away. Serenity offered him her hand but he refused to take it. He got up by himself, too angered by having to see all those images again. How come Yuugi didn't have to endure the almost excruciating pain and have his head swarmed suddenly with flashes of light and visions of his, so called previous life?

He looked at Bakura almost accusingly, on which the thief frowned in return.

"What's his problem?" He asked Ishizu who wanted to explain it to him when a soft breeze tousled everyone's hair suddenly, making everyone look around quickly. The previous encounters with such breezes brought only cloaked creatures to them, so they had every right to be apprehensive and agitated. They failed to notice that the breeze, compared to the one followed by the monsters, was warm and pleasant. Bakura stood behind Tea immediately, Joey grabbed his sister by the hand involuntarily while Yuugi, Tristan and Joey quickly stood in front of Ishizu and Mai, ready to act if necessary. Seto Kaiba glared at the sand in front of him, cursing the visions, the bust, the creatures and whole Egypt inwardly for making his life a living hell.

Silence followed after the breeze and nobody dared to make a move or a sound. A few moments passed in utter stillness until one voice startled everyone, coming from the ruins.

"Nice evening, isn't it?"

They all jumped and quickly turned around to see a figure, sitting coolly on top of the ruin's wall, right behind them. What startled them even more was the familiarity of the figure and they all yelled in perfect unison after they realized who the figure was.

"Shadi?!"


	20. Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Everything else is a lie! O.o

**A/N**

[scratches her head] Uhm...yes, well... Shadi lives! Isn't that a shocker? To most of you it was...muahahahha! [cough] Ahem...anyway, it was all a...oh, no, no, no, I'm not telling it here; you'll have to read the chapter to know what's _really_ going on. Thank you for being wonderful reviewers and of course, I encourage you to keep reviewing! Now, let's get it on! (God, now I sound like that bald guy from Celebrity Deathmatch...O.o)

**The legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XIX – Revelations**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The Ruins of the Doomed were standing motionlessly in the middle of the desert, as well as a group of people, gaping and staring at the man with turban, sitting nonchalantly on one of the rocks above them. Some of them stared in disbelief; some of them in shock, and some of them were on the verge of fainting, like Serenity and Mai. Tristan and Yuugi gawked blankly at Shadi who was smiling politely at them, not saying a word. While Kaiba's eyes widened just barely in astonishment, Ishizu gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth. Tea's lips were parted slightly while Bakura observed the whole situation, frowning in confusion. He already wanted to ask him what he was doing here when he was supposed to be dead when Joey interrupted him, pale and pointing at Shadi with a shaky finger.

"He...he's a ghost! A ghost! These ruins are really doomed!" He yelled in panic, and grabbed the first person next to him that happened to be Yuugi. The spiky haired boy blinked in wonder at the blond Egyptian, trying to calm him down and restrain him from shaking him apart. Tristan, being the more rational and composed one from the two of them, snapped out of his stupor and told him to calm down. When Joey continued on hyperventilating and mumbling all sorts of mantras in Egyptian, Ishizu suddenly blinked as well, and turning towards him and Yuugi, grabbed Joey's hand and without hesitation, slapped him across the face.

Mai and Serenity let out a soft gasp while Kaiba, although still pale from experiencing the visions again, secretly smirked at her action. Others simply stared, too confused and still too shocked by the whole situation to do anything besides that.

"Joey, stop it!" Ishizu yelled at him and Joey calmed down slowly, gaping at her, stunned and slightly shocked. He released Yuugi slowly, who breathed in relief. Joey blinked a few times then slowly touched his, now slightly swollen cheek. When Ishizu apologized after that, he just nodded mutely and stared at the sand blankly, still not comprehending what just happened.

Bakura turned his attention back to the Prophet, who was still sitting on the rock casually and observing them keenly. His smile vanished now, and was replaced by a stern look.

"Aren't you dead?" Bakura asked him in a tone that carried no sympathy at all. Tea gave him a dirty look but others agreed with his question. Kaiba crossed his hands firmly, after he smoothed his trench coat carefully.

"That's why I'd like to know, as well," he added while others were looking expectedly at him, waiting for an answer. Shadi was quiet for a few moments, turning his head to look to his right, in the direction where the city was. Ishizu took a step forward, relieved to see him again, but also wanting to know what _really_ happened back at the museum.

"Shadi?" She voiced quietly, on which he turned his attention back to them and hopped off the rock, landing easily on the soft sand in front of them. Involuntarily, they all took a few steps back, just in case. Shadi looked at them and stopped, almost offended by their act. He narrowed his eyes at them suspiciously.

"You think I'm here to hurt you?" He asked them firmly, fixating his serious gaze on them all, scanning them with perceptive, blue eyes. The little group of people exchanged worried glances among themselves then Ishizu shook her head slowly.

"No, we..." she started, not knowing what to say to a man she thought was dead, and now he was standing in front of her, chatting with them all.

"Just want to know what is going on here." Kaiba finished instead of her, one hand flying unconsciously to his forehead. Tristan agreed, along with Bakura and Yuugi. Joey decided to keep quiet and concentrated on trying to find any indication that Shadi wasn't actually real. The girls were quiet as well, watching everything with interest and curiosity now. Shadi took a deep breath, but not before glancing one more time towards the city where the outlines of buildings were still visible.

"All right," he replied, taking a step forward and relaxing when no one took a step back. He noticed Serenity flinching slightly, though, but he decided to ignore that, "I guess I might as well explain it all to you. We still have some time left."

That seemed to alert everyone and Yuugi frowned in worry. "Time left until?" He asked cautiously, already dreading the answer. Shadi gave him a blank look then sat down on the sand, crossing his legs in a lotus position.

"You will listen now," he replied sternly, making Yuugi shut his mouth, "when time comes, you will all know what to do."

Brief silence followed after that in which they all stared at the man in front of them like he was some kind of world wonder, ready to reveal its secrets to them. They weren't far away from the truth with that, though. Shadi closed his eyes and inhaled. Just when he was about to start, Joey decided to join the living and opened his mouth.

"I thought you were dead," he suddenly said, making Shadi look at him oddly, and Ishizu resisted the urge to hit him on the head, "Dead!" He repeated, stretching his arms as if that was supposed to prove his state of shock and disbelief.

"Joey," Tristan said in a low voice, "shut up."

The blond Egyptian frowned, then plopped down on the sand angrily, crossing his legs as well as his hands over his chest. Serenity sat next to him, giving him a sympathetic look. Everyone else sat down as well, except Kaiba; he decided to stand in his spot, waiting for an explanation. Shadi looked at every one of them then opened his mouth to speak.

"I know you're all wondering how come I'm still alive," he started and immediately raised his hand to keep Yuugi from interrupting him. The young man shut his mouth quickly and lowered his head sheepishly. "But in order to truly understand what happened, I must ask you to listen and be quiet." He added, looking at them and silently asking them to do so. They all fidgeted slightly in their positions, but kept quiet, looking at him eagerly. When Shadi saw it was safe to go on, he put his hands on his knees and closed his eyes again.

"As you know, and as I already told you, I am the Prophet, but I was a higher Priest before," he started, opening his eyes to see the eyes of the people in front of him, staring at him almost excitedly. "And as a Priest, I had divine powers at my disposal. When Amukh started the battle a few thousands of years ago, I was fighting with the three of you," he said softly and looked at Kaiba, Yuugi and Bakura. They all raised their eyebrows in confusion, although Kaiba's brows were raised in a more skeptical manner. Shadi smiled slightly, as if reminiscing his old days then decided to continue.

"I fought against Amukh's army of thieves, robbers, murderers and other priests he managed to convince to join him," there he stopped for a brief moment then took a deep breath again. "I was wounded by Amukh when I tried to save your life, Yuugi Mutou," he looked at the spiky haired man and he inhaled sharply, "when one of them wanted to harm you. You were too important to die then; you were one of Pharaoh's most valuable and appreciated subjects, and it was my duty to value your life like the life of Pharaoh's. I was unable to fight further, and I still remember the way Amukh laughed and told me he was going to leave me to bleed to death, slowly and painfully..." He stopped there and looked at the sand, leaving everyone else to stare at him in disbelief. "Amukh is a ruthless, cruel individual; he knows no mercy and he will not show mercy to anyone," he said with a note of bitterness and even hate in his voice before raising his head again to look at them with sharp gaze.

"I couldn't do anything, I was weakened and I could barely stand on my feet. I saw the three of you fighting, until one of the Amukh's henchmen wounded you, Seto Kaiba." He looked at the taller man, standing stiffly a few feet away from him, and frowning at him in uncertainty. "You were injured very badly, and you almost did die if there wasn't for Yuugi and Bakura who helped you."

Kaiba suddenly remembered his first set of visions where he was lying on the ground, half-dead until he saw...Yuugi's face offering him his hand and then there was Bakura in more recent visions, slashing the hideous man trying to kill them both...

Shadi observed the inner battle in him, and the way his face was contoured in a mixture of anger and confusion.

"What did you see, Kaiba?" Yuugi asked him quietly, looking at him with a pair of wide, inquiring eyes. When Kaiba refused to say anything, afraid the visions would come again and make his head spin, Shadi decided to continue instead of him.

"I saw the two of you," he looked at Bakura and Yuugi, " picking him up, discussing something fervently and then saying something to Seto Kaiba. I wasn't able to hear what you were saying but I presume you decided to ask the ancient Gods for help because soon after that, you knelt down and raised your hands up in the air." Shadi kept on talking, keeping everyone almost captivated by his story. "The last thing I remember is a tremendous light, appearing on the sky and three figures, so bright and so powerful that I had to close my eyes...I felt the earth shake and roar, I felt the wind blow, the sand flying vigorously around me, but I didn't dare to open my eyes because I knew what was happening."

"The Gods...helped you?" Ishizu asked quietly, almost in a whisper, forgetting all about not interrupting him. Shadi nodded firmly and lowered his head again.

"When I dared to open my eyes, I saw only sand around me and everything else was...gone. I couldn't see the three of you anywhere, only the three Gods, hovering on the sky above me. One of them looked at me suddenly and I was able to hear his voice in my head. It was so overwhelming that I almost lost my conscience, but I managed to stay awake and focused.

"From that day on, I was given a task to exist as a Prophet, a being held by no boundaries of life or death. I am something close to what you would call an immortal." He explained when everyone gave him an incredulous look. "I am the guardian of the Souls and I am the one who was told that history repeated itself and that one day, the Souls would rise again, the Souls that saved the world back then, as well as the soul of ancient Amukh. And now, we are here once again."

Shadi finished with his story and silence seemed to stretch on and on, until Kaiba broke it with his remark.

"That's all nice and interesting but that still doesn't explain why am I the only one who has to experience those bloody visions!" He barked angrily, already sensing the headache coming on again. Everyone's attention was now on him and the Prophet. Shadi was looking at him for a good few moments then sighed.

"Remember the visions, Seto Kaiba, because they are the answer itself." He replied calmly but that seemed to aggravate the CEO even more.

"What the hell was that supposed to mean? That doesn't explain anything!" He roared and Tristan, who was the closest to him, jumped slightly and inched back a bit to join Joey who finally came to his senses now after hearing the whole story. Shadi realized there was no good in trying to make him understand on his own, so he decided to explain. He got up and approached him, putting his index finger on his forehead without even blinking. Seto Kaiba, however, blinked in astonishment as well as the rest of the group. Shadi seemed irritated now.

"Remember your visions Seto Kaiba! Remember how you felt when you were wounded, how you felt when you saw what happened to everyone around you. Anger, disbelief, misery, despair, suffering! Because of all that, you became bitter and as that, you died when you merged with the Gods and your soul was locked in the bust. When you reincarnated and came back as Seto Kaiba in this life, your mind has forgotten about your previous life, but your soul hasn't!" Shadi was talking; his voice raised a bit now. He realized he simply had to put some sense in his stopped up mind.

Yuugi and Bakura gaped at them in wonder while other's tried not to burst out laughing at the baffled expression the CEO wore.

"That is why you are so bitter today, that is why you are so skeptical and cynical and resentful! The visions had to come to remind you of who you were and who you are! They were necessary to show you that you should stop acting like a fool and start believing in something your own mind tells you! Do you understand now, Seto Kaiba?"

Shadi finished with his speech, breathing heavily now from all the yelling. Seto Kaiba stared at him blankly, not even blinking now. The small group of people behind them waited for something to happen, but after Shadi lowered his hand to rest by his side and looked at him with a more father-like expression, Kaiba finally blinked and looked at him as if he just saw him standing there for the first time.

"Nobody else has had visions, Seto Kaiba, because nobody else was so dubious and disbelieving like you were. They ensued to show you and convince you to _believe._"

The people gathered around the ruins were silent again, observing Kaiba and Shadi carefully and waiting for their next move. Ishizu remembered something and decided to ask the Prophet, curious.

"But, then...why did you...I mean why..."

Shadi looked at her and smiled almost mysteriously, making everyone apprehensive. "Why making everyone believe I was dead?" He finished for her and Ishizu nodded, others gathering around her to hear what he had to say on that. Shadi smiled again and closed his eyes briefly.

"It had to be like that; it was a part of the plan." He answered simply as if that explained the whole thing. If anything else, now they all wanted to know what the _plan_ was. Shadi, almost sensing their curiosity, opened his eyes and practically smirked at them.

"Amukh was not supposed to know what has been planned for centuries and centuries. He doesn't know I'm immortal, he still believes I'm dead again just like then, that my soul was reincarnated like his and now put back to rest again."

"Oh, so it's a trap of some kind of?" Yuugi asked, realization dawning on him. Shadi nodded curtly and then frowned, sensing something that made him slightly nervous. Others noticed it.

"What? Are they coming again?" Joey asked, alarmed and ready to flee again. Shadi stood in front of them for a few seconds with his eyes closed then shook his head brusquely.

"No, not yet, but...Amukh is in a possession of the Third Soul now." He replied in a very serious manner and kept his frown for a while. He redirected his eyes to Tristan who was still having the little bust tucked neatly under his shirt. He snapped out of his stupor and quickly retrieved it from beneath, offering it to him. But Shadi only stared at it for a while then took it wordlessly and stepped in front of Kaiba, raising the little bust slightly in the air. Kaiba looked at him somewhat impassively then at the bust, suddenly sensing that strange desire to reach for it and hold it. Shadi smiled a barely visible smile.

"If you are willing to embrace your past and your future, Seto Kaiba..." he said and offered the bust to him. "It is, after all, a part of you."

Everyone watched in wonder how Kaiba took the bust and stared at it in awe, turning it in his hands. Almost affectionately, he slid his fingers over the face of a man and over the crown on his head with an embedded scarab on it. The Second Soul, the bust of Osiris.

"You mentioned some kind of merging," Ishizu started, already slipping into her role of a scientist easily, "did Kaiba merge with Osiris back then?"

Shadi nodded sternly and stepped back, leaving the CEO to marvel in the bust quietly. When he looked at the Prophet, his eyes softened for just a second, before he frowned again in confusion.

"I... what?" He asked, puzzled. Shadi smiled and wanted to explain it, when his face suddenly became serious again, his expression alerted and worried. Ishizu and the guides already had a vague idea what might happen next but it wasn't until Kaiba confirmed their suspicions suddenly, looking at the outlines of the city.

"They're coming," he said in a low voice and Shadi nodded. Mai and Serenity let out 'oh, no!' in unison while Tea paled. Yuugi and Bakura exchanged anxious glances, Bakura stepping in front of Tea immediately. The creatures were coming.

"We have to hide somewhere!" Tristan suggested in a hurry, seeing how Serenity and Mai started to panic already. Joey and Yuugi agreed, but the question was – where to hide? Shadi reacted quicker than anyone else and stepped in front of Tea. He turned one last time towards the city and his eyes widened slightly.

"Tea, you know where the chamber is," he said and she nodded quickly, somewhat absentmindedly. "When I tell you, you will take the girls and you will hide inside, do you understand?"

Tea nodded mutely again and swallowed hard. Bakura didn't like the idea of separating himself from her, but at least she would be safe there. "And don't worry, my friends will protect you." He added on which everyone looked at him in confusion.

"What friends?" Yuugi, Bakura and Kaiba asked him in unison on which Shadi only shook his head.

"No time for explanations now, step aside!" He ordered and everyone moved away from him, anxious and worried. They all wondered what he was going to do now when he stepped away from the ruins, turning his back to them and raising his hands in the air. That warm, pleasant wind appeared again, rustling everybody's hair and making them close their eyes due to the flying specks of sand.

When the wind became so strong that even Kaiba bent slightly to avoid falling backwards, they heard Shadi's loud and clear command, carried with the wind.

"RISE!"

Light flashed in front of their eyes and out of the swirling sand, figures rose, dark and ominous in the middle of the night, the moonlight illuminating them perfectly and making everyone gasp at the sight of them. Shadi turned to look at them and noticed their perplexed and terrified expressions. The figures, hundreds of them, standing all around them were tall and slim, but muscular, holding spears in their hands, but their heads were dog-like, making them look almost intimidating and monstrous.

"Jackals," Ishizu and Yuugi breathed in shock, observing the creatures like they just came out of a horror movie. Mai and Serenity were speechless and on the verge of collapsing, while others simply stood there, petrified and afraid to move. When Shadi told them to get ready, the creatures obeyed, spears flying into the air and then back to their hands.

"Shadi..." Ishizu managed to utter and the Prophet came to them now, looking serious but calm.

"Are they..._the friends?_ Yuugi asked; his gaze glued to the creatures. Shadi nodded and called the two of them to come to him. The creatures obeyed and came to him, walking effortlessly through the sand. They stopped abruptly when they reached him, making everyone step a few feet away. Shadi sighed.

"Don't be afraid of them," he said calmly, "they belong to Anubis; they're his army, and have been called here to protect you. Don't tell me you meant to fight against Amukh's army on your own? He has already gathered his minions." He added and ordered the two of them to protect the girls. The jackals went straight to Tea who yelped slightly, coming face to face with a dog-headed creature. Bakura was already ready to protect her, but Shadi stopped him.

"They are here to protect, not to harm, Bakura!" He yelled once again and the thief stepped back. Besides, he didn't really know how could he attack a much taller jackal with a dagger when the creature had a spear in his hands.

Tea shrunk away from it as much as she could, but the creature only inched towards her further. In the end, she stopped doing that when she realized she reached the cold wall of the ruins.

"Tea!" Shadi exclaimed and she gulped, averting his attention to him, but only for a second, she still wanted to keep an eye on the creature.

"Y-yes?" She asked and Shadi shook his head.

"I already told you, they are here to protect you, not to harm you!" He replied hastily, seeing how he probably should've told them about his other plan involving the ancient army of Anubis. "Now, you remember what I told you?"

Tea nodded quickly, trying to get used to the jackal, towering over her. "On your mark I take the girls and hide in the underground chamber!" She said quickly and Shadi nodded.

"Good," he replied and sighed helplessly when he saw how Serenity and Mai tried to scamper away from the creature but didn't know where to run at all; they were all around them. Ishizu clasped a hand over her mouth in worry; has it really come to this? To a war?

Shadi approached her, after he gave a few instructions to the boys and told them to stay put until he said otherwise. When the situation finally calmed down a bit, he stood next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"It was destined to be, Ishizu Ishtar," he said quietly, almost trying to console her with his words, "there is indeed, a war ahead of us, but we are not the ones the blame. Don't forget that." He said and Ishizu took a deep breath, trying to smother the fear and anxiety rising inside of her.

"One more thing," he said, his voice sounding almost regretful now, "be prepared for a loss."

With that, he turned away and went to the boys again, who were still staring in wonder at the higher creatures, standing next to them. Ishizu wondered briefly what he meant by that, but then went to the girls and tried to calm Serenity and Mai down.

"I don't care what you say," Mai shrieked, "that thing has a dog's head on his shoulders!"

"They're jackals, Mai! They are supposed to look like that!" Tea objected, trying to calm her down as well. Ishizu put a hand on her shoulder and Mai let out a moan.

"Anubis himself is a dog-headed God, you know," she said in a soothing manner that managed to make Mai calm down a bit. She still backed away from the creature and hid slightly behind Tea who sighed heavily.

Shadi approached Kaiba and looked at the bust in his hands. "It will be hard to take the busts from Amukh," he said and Kaiba gave him a stern look.

"What should I do with this?" He asked, eyeing the bust in his hands with a frown, "I can't fight with it." Shadi shook his head and pointed at the jackals.

"You're not here to fight, they are," he said firmly and then looked at the outlines of the city once again, now barely visible through the herd of dog-headed creatures. "Your role in this is different."

When he turned around and sensed a change in the air, he took a deep breath and stood behind one of the jackals. Turning around, he looked at the girls and ordered Tea to move. Bakura gave her one, serious and worried look before they disappeared behind the walls of the ruins with two jackals following behind.

Shadi then turned his attention to the five young men next to him and looked at them gravely.

"Be careful and listen to my orders if you want to live," he said and they nodded firmly, Joey and Tristan gulping audibly. When Shadi turned his head to see the herd of cloaked monsters not so far away from them, he lowered his head and closed his eyes, reciting a small prayer mentally. Then he raised his head again and opened his eyes, whispering.

"It is time."


	21. Settling the scores

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! I just came from Tokyo where they confirmed my theory...yeah...

**A/N**

Dear Lord...chapter 20...21 with the Prologue! O.o Will you ever see the end of this? Will Alena finally finish this story once and for all? Stay tuned! And don't forget to review! Oh and thank you all for reviewing, too! You people are awesome! /skips around merrily and throws candy and cookies all over the place/

...I think I should stop putting so much sugar into my cappuccino...

* * *

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XX – Settling the scores**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

Ishizu was having a hard time trying to move the flat looking piece of rock from where it lay above the underground chamber. Mai and Serenity were still in a panicky mood, looking all around the ruins almost hysterically. Tea joined Ishizu and with a few huffs and moans, they finally managed to move the rock away.

"Come on," Ishizu exclaimed, chills running down her spine after feeling the familiar and unpleasant swoosh of cold air passing by, "get inside!"

Mai and Serenity obeyed and without a word, slipped through the hole and disappeared in the darkness of the chamber. Ishizu turned to Tea who was staring worriedly at the sight in front of her – hundreds of Jackals standing all around them, waiting for the cloaked creatures to arrive. She bent slightly and almost gasped when she spotted a sea of cloaked monsters, approaching them slowly.

"Oh, my God..." she whispered. She ignored Ishizu's command to get inside and simply kept on staring at everything that was happening in front of her. She saw Bakura and Yuugi, standing stiffly behind Shadi who was having his eyes narrowed, his whole demeanor tense. Kaiba was observing the whole sight with his eyes slightly wide while Joey and Tristan were simply petrified by the Jackals and the upcoming army of the ancient Priest.

"Tea!" She jerked suddenly when Ishizu grabbed her by the hand and started dragging her towards the hole in the ground. The two Jackals that were supposed to protect them started to advance towards them, pushing them both towards the entrance to the chamber. Inside, Serenity and Mai were shivering, their eyes shut.

The last thing Tea saw was Bakura, glancing at her with a half-worried, half-serious look and then the image of him was replaced by a cold stone of the ruins, and she almost let out a shriek when she saw one, lanky hand of the Jackal, grabbing her by the shoulder and pushing her forward.

"Let's go!" Ishizu yelled and she had no choice but to comply, sliding inside before Ishizu, who stood out there for a moment. The Jackals spread their arms, urging her to go inside and reluctantly, she nodded at them, not really knowing herself why. Casting one final look at the darkening sky, she took a deep breath and hopped in, joining the other three girls inside. Above them, the Jackals were still for a moment, until on of them pushed the piece of rock over the hole effortlessly and darkness started to envelop the chamber.

"Wait!" Tea shrieked and startled Mai who was the closest to her. "They can't shut it completely!"

Ishizu realized she was right and with a gasp, she reached up to tell them not to shut the hole completely but as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, the rock was placed neatly above them and total darkness took over the chamber. She held her breath and her hand fell by her side.

"We need air in here! Hey!" Tea's shrill voice was heard in the chamber and then silence. Mai's eyes were now open wide but nobody had a chance to see that.

"We're...we're going to suffocate in here?!" She screamed and without a second thought, got up and bumped into Serenity who let out a yelp and fell down on the cold ground.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry!"

"We need air in here!"

"You stupid dogs, open this damn hole!"

"I want out!"

Ishizu clasped a hand over her forehead, trying to summon at least one coherent thought. With the racket around her, that seemed nearly impossible. In the end, she let out a growl and decided to break it in the old fashioned way.

"BE QUIET!"

The amount of noise died down in the chamber, making the girls blink in the darkness and stare ahead where they presumed Ishizu was standing. They lowered their heads in embarrassment and stared at the ground numbly.

"Please," Ishizu breathed heavily, "just calm down! This isn't the perfect time to start panicking." She finished in a calmer tone, her fists clenched by her sides now. Mai plopped down on the ground and decided to wallow in her misery while Serenity was trying to find the wall of the chamber to lean on. Prodding with her hands around her, she accidentally patted Tea on the head and the girl jerked violently and stepped back.

"Uh, sorry," Serenity apologized quickly, finally touching the cold surface. She leaned on it with a heavy sigh.

Ishizu managed to step on one of the stairs and touch the solid rock above her head. She scanned the surroundings and still couldn't see anyone in the complete darkness.

"Tea?" She asked hesitantly and the brown-haired girl answered meekly from aside.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me remove this rock a few inches?" She added and after a few seconds heard a soft rustling sound approaching her. Tea was stepping carefully forward, not wanting to step on her toes. She finally bumped into her slightly and muttered an apology. "Stretch your hands up," Serenity instructed and Tea raised her hands in the air, examining the rock with her fingers gingerly.

"Okay..." she replied slowly and waited for Ishizu to say something. The young scientist took a deep breath, her hands already up.

"Just place your fingers somewhere and when I say 'now', push!" She said and looked up, closing her eyes quickly when a few specks of dust flew down to her face and prickled her eyes. Tea nodded and replied with a muffled 'hmm'.

Ishizu gritted her teeth and summoned all her strength into her arms, pushing the rock with everything she possessed.

"Now!"

Tea gritted her teeth as well, her hands on the rock above her and her fingers spread over the cold surface. Mai and Serenity were listening carefully to the pained sounds coming from the girls next to them, waiting for something to happen. Strange as it was, lifting the rock above them seemed to be harder than they thought. It was easier to just move it away a bit when they were still out, but now...

"What if those dogs are sitting on it?" Mai suddenly said, that certain thought entering her mind suddenly and making her shudder in dread. Would she ever see the daylight again?

Tea and Ishizu stopped for a moment, contemplating Mai's words. Two pairs of blue eyes widened and they both gasped.

"She's right! What if they're standing on it or sitting on it and...oh, there's _no_ _way_ to move it then!" Tea yelled, panic getting the best of her, too. Ishizu was silent for a few moments, before she opened her mouth again.

"Let's just...try again, okay?" She pleaded and Tea reluctantly raised her hands again. Serenity bit her lip and took a few steps forward, grasping a soft fabric of somebody's shirt. Tea looked down to feel somebody's hands on her waist and raised her eyebrows.

"Who's groping me?"

Serenity stopped and quickly retrieved her hands. "That was me," she replied sheepishly and then took a step to the left where there was still space left, "I want to help." She added exasperatedly and raised her hands in the air as much as she could. Mai sighed from her position on the ground and slowly got up, dusting herself off more out of habit. She put her hands on her hips and let out a long breath.

"Okay," she said in a bossy manner and approached them slowly, ignoring Serenity's yelp after she stepped on her foot, "make some room."

A few moments later, eight hands were up in the air, pushing the rock with all their might, and after a few swear words, growling and panting, the rock finally nudged a bit and one streak of light illuminated Tea's face. She squinted a bit before her eyes brightened with relief and she almost squealed with joy after she saw a few rocks of the ruins scattered around and above, the dark sky over the desert.

"We did it!" Serenity exclaimed happily and hugged Mai tightly whose eyes bulged out slightly from the sudden pressure. Tea's face soon became serious, a heavy frown replacing her cheerful expression and she told the excited girls to calm down. They stopped with their little celebration and silence filled the chamber again.

They were staring at the little gap between the rock and the entrance to the chamber, listening intently. And just as Tea presumed, she did hear disturbing sounds coming from outside. She backed away in surprise when she saw one, skinny foot of a Jackal, stepping closer to the gap.

Ishizu's eyes widened a bit when she recognized the sounds coming from above.

"It's...happening," she whispered and three pair of eyes turned to look at her, brows furrowed in confusion.

Serenity gasped and her breath got stuck in her throat. "My brother...Joey is still out there."

"And Tristan and Shadi..." Ishizu added, her eyes lowering to stare at her feet that were now slightly visible. Tea's eyes were almost blank as she was staring numbly at the white piece of fabric Mai was wearing.

"Bakura..." she whispered solemnly, "Yuugi..."

"And Mr. Kaiba, too..." Serenity remembered the tall figure of the elusive, young businessman that was the reincarnation of the Second Soul.

Silence ensued in the chamber again, as the sounds of the wind howling filled the air outside, creating the pre-apocalyptic atmosphere.

* * *

The sky above the desert was dark, looking ominous with heavy clouds towering over the ruins, making everyone edgy and nervous. Shadi was probably the only one who knew exactly what was about to happen. After all, he had been there before, and still remembered every detail like it happened yesterday and not thousands of years ago. The wind started to blow unpleasantly, making others shiver slightly.

"This," Tristan managed to choke out, "doesn't look good." Joey was too distracted by the herd of cloaked creatures approaching them to even notice his remark. Yuugi and Bakura were standing behind Shadi, immobile and completely speechless. Kaiba was still holding the bust, the remains of his soul in his hands, fingers clutching the clay like thing firmly.

The Jackals were waiting patiently, not making a move or a sound, like they were there just for a decorative purpose. Compared to a few mortals behind them, they didn't seem to be intimidated one bit by the approaching swarm of cloaked monsters, floating toward them, swiftly and tenaciously.

A pair of emerald eyes narrowed – Amukh didn't expect to see Anubis's army, waiting for him in front of the Ruins of the doomed. Next to him, with his face shadowed by a hood, Marik was staring at the ancient warriors, standing in front of them calmly. When he glanced at the Priest, he spotted a shimmer of surprise in his eyes and that disturbed him. The Ancient One wasn't expecting this? Then...what was going on?

Amukh was busy with trying to comprehend how could the army of Anubis be summoned to rise from the Underworld again and who had the power to summon them in the first place. He was sure the last bust was in the possession of the puny mortals and there were no obstacles for him to eradicate anymore...He was always prepared, always a step ahead of everyone, but...he wasn't prepared for what was in front of him now. And _that_ was making him slightly annoyed and irritated. He stopped, before Marik and other minions did to observe the Jackals, standing proudly in front of him. Their eyes were fixated on him, on his minions, but none of them made a single move. The leader that was standing ahead of everyone was staring at him indifferently, red eyes glistening under the dark clouds. Amukh's eyes narrowed again and he gritted his teeth. This was...unusual. His sense of premonition didn't warn him about this and it was starting to make him slightly agitated. Something was different...something was in the air. Something familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it.

'Well,' he thought with a malicious smile plying on his lips now, 'since the original plan faltered, I will just have to improvise.'

With that, he turned to Marik and told him to proceed as agreed. The sandy-haired Egyptian nodded slowly and ordered the others to move. Hundreds of cloaks started to billow madly, making the wind howl around them and creating a whirlwind of sand.

"You and I will concentrate on the bust," Amukh whispered again and Marik glanced at him before nodding again.

Joey and Tristan jumped in the air slightly, backing away after they saw the creatures starting to move. When they both stepped on the feet of the two Jackals behind them, they quickly turned around and with wide eyes started spluttering apologies. The Jackals, however, didn't even glance at them; their attention was directed ahead, towards the creatures in cloaks.

"Destroy them!" Marik yelled and motioned with his hand for them to move forward. On the other side, Shadi closed his eyes, sending a mental command to the leader of the Jackals.

_Go._

The tallest of the Jackals jerked suddenly, his fist clenching around the spear in his hands as his eyes flashed with a red light. He roared loudly, raising the spear in the air, before others behind him did the same. Hundreds of spears flew up, remained there for a few seconds before the leader lowered the spear down and thrust it straight ahead, towards the approaching creatures. With one, final roar, he plunged forward, the tip of the sharp spear glistening.

"It has begun..." Shadi whispered and opened his eyes to see the Jackals in front of him move, making the sand fly all around them, and creating a sandy curtain. It was almost impossible to see anything through the dust; he could only hear the sound of feet thumping down the desert, the sound of the Jackals roaring, the cloaked creatures howling and the sound of metal clashing against bones.

"Dear Allah..." Joey and Tristan muttered, their eyes wide, their bodies stiff. As if on cue, they reached with their hands to hold onto something out of sheer fear and almost hugged each other if there wasn't for the Jackal, standing slightly between them. They grabbed him by the hands, holding onto him so tightly that the creature looked down in one moment to glance at them in curiosity.

Yuugi and Bakura stared at the cloud of dust in front of them, in some sort of mixture between shock and amazement. Kaiba, who was closer to them than the others were, stepped back a bit, covering his eyes with his hand to protect them from the sand. Shadi looked up to the sky, noticing the swirling dark clouds, the wind carrying the specks of dust high in the air. He glanced at the three reincarnations of the Souls and resisted the urge to smile. He was...proud of them.

Just when he was about to say Kaiba to step back a bit more, his head suddenly whirled around and he barely had a split second to jump back to avoid a sharp edge of a long sword. Yuugi quickly grabbed Kaiba and pulled him back towards where Joey and Tristan were already praying all sorts of prayers they knew. Bakura frowned, clutching the handle of his dagger, ready to slice anyone who dared to harm him.

A tall figure appeared amidst the cloud of dust, visible only as something dark and hidden, before it stepped out slowly, revealing the dark cloak and the hood, covering its face.

Bakura lurched forward, dagger in his hands up and ready when Shadi surprised him suddenly, stretching his hand out to stop him, but it was already too late. The tall figure managed to turn its head just in time to avoid getting stabbed by the thief, jumping back swiftly to land on the sand effortlessly. The action caused his hood to fall and reveal the face of a sandy-haired Egyptian; violet eyes with the shades of gray glaring at him.

Bakura stopped abruptly, his mouth agape, dark eyes wide in disbelief.

"Marik!" He breathed.

"Yes, and I believe my friend has a few scores to settle with you," another voice said, its owner appearing suddenly behind him, taller and more intimidating. Amukh made his way through the dust, ignoring the flying body of a Jackal that whizzed over his head. He turned to look at Shadi, whose eyes narrowed dangerously now, glaring at the ancient Priest.

Behind them, Joey and Tristan, together with Yuugi and Kaiba stared in wonder at the tall figure of a young man that seemed to be in his late twenties, with short, dark hair and dark bangs falling slightly over his tanned skin and emerald, malevolent eyes. Something stirred in Yuugi's stomach, making him feel sick all of a sudden and he clasped his hand over his abdomen, trying to get rid of the sick feeling. Kaiba felt worse; his head was suddenly swarmed with visions of the man, laughing at him cruelly, standing above him while he was trying not to scream in pain. A sudden feeling of hatred coursed through him, something so powerful and strong that it made him growl. When he opened his eyes, ignoring the agonizing headache, blue eyes narrowed threateningly.

"Amukh," he snarled.

Shadi and Amukh glared silently at each other, Marik doing the same, standing across Bakura who was still trying to compose his thoughts that were now screaming at him that this was his friend...his friend who was now ready to kill him in a beat.

"Shadi," Amukh said in a carefree tone, as if he was chatting politely with him, "nice to see you alive and kicking again," he added on which the man with the turban frowned and glowered at him even more.

"I really couldn't say the same about you," he replied back, words choked out between gritted teeth. Amukh smiled at him maliciously and glanced at the CEO behind them, who was now glaring at him. He spotted the bust in his hands and almost instinctively, took a step forward. Shadi reacted, raising his hands in the air and a couple of Jackals stood in front of them immediately, pushing them back and shielding his view at the precious artifact.

Amukh frowned. Shadi smirked.

"So, it _was_ you all along..." the Priest concluded in a deep voice, turning his attention back to him. Shadi ordered Bakura to get away from there, but the thief seemed to be glued to the spot, still staring blankly at his former friend turned enemy.

"Bakura!" Shadi yelled at him, but Marik only smirked, positioning his sword again. Bakura snapped out of his stupor and redirected his gaze at the sharp blade. Frowning, he searched for something inside of his robes and retrieved his dagger, left on the street after the monsters appeared for the first time and took him away.

He threw it down on the sand and the dagger landed heavily, sinking in the soft sand a little.

Marik was eyeing the dagger for a few moments, before he looked blankly at him again. Throwing the sword at the sand, he picked up the dagger and smirked again at his former gang leader. Bakura swallowed, hoping that the dagger would do something in order to remind him of who he was, but that didn't happen. Instead, Marik leapt at him and Bakura barely had the time to take a stance and raise his dagger in the air before meeting Marik's. The impact sent him flying backwards a bit and he stared wide-eyed at him, gaining his equilibrium quickly.

"You've gotten stronger," he whispered and the sandy-haired young man smirked evilly. He leapt at him again, metal clashing against metal mercilessly.

"I don't know what he did to you," Bakura growled, pushing him away with a force, "but I WILL get you back!"

Amukh watched the whole scene with amusement in his eyes, satisfaction evident on his face. Shadi could barely restrain his anger and resentment towards him. When Amukh turned to him again, his eyes glistened with evil and he raised his chin slightly.

"Ah," he let out a soft sigh, "there's nothing better than the two best friends fighting," he coaxed "wouldn't you agree, Shadi?"

The Prophet let out a growl this time and clenched his fists. "You should know, Amukh." He spat out.

Amukh only laughed coldly and after a moment of staring at the now, completely dark sky, lowered his head to narrow his eyes at him.

"Oh, yes, I do," he replied in a deep, raspy voice that sent shivers down Shadi's spine. Emerald eyes flashed and Shadi had a second only to send a command to the Jackals to protect the others before Amukh spoke again in a tone that promised certain death.

"And now it's time for us to settle _our_ score, my dear friend."


	22. Out of the dark

Disclaimer: "You don't own Yu-Gi-Oh..." Voices in my head keep telling me that every day...

**A/N**

Err...hello? I hope there are people out there who are still reading this story.../sweatdrops/

I know I should've updated sooner but...I was kind of busy and wasn't really in the mood and when I'm not in the mood to write, I shouldn't write because it turns out sloppy and cheap in the end and being a perfectionist I am, I'm not satisfied and... /takes a deep breath/ what I write, ends up in Recycle Bin in the end...Yeah...Hmm, mental note to myself: You're not really good at explaining things...

Anyway, it took me a while to write this and I'm not too happy with the result, but I know if I delayed this further, it'd take me a whole lot longer to update…And a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed! You have no idea how much that means to me!

* * *

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXI – Out of the dark**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

It was still fairly dark in the underground chamber despite the thin beam of light that was creeping in through the small gap on the ceiling. It was getting cold and Mai rubbed her palms against her upper arms, trying to shake the numb feeling off. Beside her, Serenity was sitting on the cold floor, huddled in the corner, her head lowered and her hands clasped, fingers intertwined. Mai guessed she was praying and felt somewhat ashamed. She noticed her lips moving slightly, the way her eyes were shut tightly in concentration. 

A few feet away from them, Tea and Ishizu were staring at the small gap like in some kind of trance, trying to hear something or someone, anything that would assure them that the boys were all right. But, they couldn't hear voices that resembled human ones, they could only hear a thundering sound coming from outside, like the whole ground and the whole desert were shaking and trembling under the battlefield.

"What is happening out there?" Tea whispered, cerulean eyes wide and staring upwards. Ishizu glanced at her briefly; her expression troubled and worried, her whole demeanor tense and anxious. For a moment, she felt so restless that she wanted to push the rock further and climb out of the chamber, just to see what was going on. She was standing still now, listening to the disturbing sounds and echoes of roars and blood-curling screams of the cloaked creatures.

"I don't know," she replied dully, clenching her fists and staring at her feet. One of the Jackals moved from above, and Tea stepped back quickly when the remaining dust and dirt flew down and on her hair. Mai looked up from her position and glanced at the gap, her eyes tired and weary. She just wanted to go home already...

A strange sound came from outside, followed by a loud thud and Serenity opened her eyes, staring at the gap as well. One of the Jackals let out a quiet, vibrating roar and Ishizu quickly grabbed Tea by the shoulder and pulled her back, deeper into the darkness of the chamber. Mai was already ready to say something when Ishizu shushed her by putting a finger over her lips. Mai's thought was left unvoiced as she was staring at the gap wide-eyed, the commotion outside becoming more and more audible.

"Let's just hope they don't find us here," was the last thing Ishizu whispered before the air outside was suddenly filled with shrill howls and the temperature in the chamber fell down drastically.

* * *

Yuugi wished he could've seen something but due to the group of Jackals that were standing protectively in front of him, the chances to see anything at all were close to zero. Next to him, Joey and Tristan were shivering, their ears covered and their eyes shut firmly. A little further to his left, Seto Kaiba was standing, still clutching the important relic securely. His eyes were also closed, but it seemed like they were closed in some kind of concentration, creating wrinkles at the bridge of his nose and around his eyes. Although his lips were sealed tightly, his jaw was set firmly, shuddering. Yuugi managed to lift his foot and take a wobbly step to the left, stepping on one of the Jackal's foot clumsily. He looked up quickly but the creature was standing stiffly in his spot, completely immobile. He made his way through the crowd of the creatures, careful not to stumble and fall down.

"Yuugi!" Joey yelled from behind and he turned around briefly to look at Joey, looking at him worriedly. "Where are you going?"

Somehow, he wasn't in the mood to explain, so without replying, he took a few hesitant steps forward, until he was by Kaiba's side. The taller young man was clutching the bust almost painfully, his brows furrowed and his teeth gritted.

"Kaiba!" Yuugi had to yell due to the noise made not so far away but the CEO made no attempt to answer him. His head was swarmed with another set of visions that were swirling through his mind painfully, making his head throb achingly and his breathing shallow and ragged. He could hear the voice of someone, but it was like it was coming from someplace far, far away. Yuugi wanted to shake him, but decided against it, remembering what happened the last time the same thing happened.

"Kaiba, wake up!" Yuugi screamed at him before letting out a surprised yelp. His body was suddenly pushed backwards, the Jackals taking a few steps back, pushing them all into the background where other Jackals were standing calmly. He could Joey and Tristan yelling something as well, before Joey half-limped to his side and grabbed him by the hand so tightly he thought he broke every bone in it.

"Yuugi, what is going on?" Tristan shouted through the deafening noise, grabbing onto Joey's shoulder.

_Something must've happened_, Yuugi thought and bent down to peep through the small hole between numerous feet. His eyes widened when he spotted cloaks, mingled together with the feet of the Jackals.

"Oh, no!" He yelled and quickly glanced at the petrified looks on the guide's faces. They stared at him in some kind of mixture of fear and anticipation. Yuugi bit his lower lip and glanced at Kaiba who was still absorbed in the world of visions and lost memories.

His head was full of images, flashing violently through his mind, appearing and disappearing again as explosions of light. His headache increased tenfold and he was struggling to keep his sanity and consciousness. The visions were always followed by such repercussions but they were never so excruciating like now. He felt dizzy and sick and his head threatened to explode with the intensity of the pain he couldn't stop. It was like he found himself in hell; images of him and Amukh, dancing furiously around, images of people screaming, burning under the wrath of the ancient Priest, swirling together in one, sickening feeling and making him want to scream in agony.

"Make it stop," he growled laboriously, breathing heavily. From below, Yuugi and the boys glanced at him and their eyes widened in panic.

"Kaiba!" Yuugi yelled again, noticing just how pale he was, beads of sweat trickling down his face.

"Make it stop! Stop it!" He screamed, letting the bust fall out of his hands to grip his head, fingers digging into his skin. "I don't want to see it! I've seen enough! STOP IT!"

Yuugi decided to grab him by the shoulders now; shaking him vigorously while Tristan and Joey bent down to grab the bust quickly before someone else had a chance to snatch it.

"Kaiba, wake up!" Yuugi shouted, and already raised his hand to slap him across the face when the CEO finally stopped jerking and blue eyes snapped open, wide with something raw, staring intently ahead as if seeing someone from his worst nightmares. Yuugi stopped shaking him and was observing his pale complexion warily, Joey and Tristan gaping at them from aside mutely.

"Kaiba?" Yuugi whispered croakily, his voice cracking from all the yelling. Tiny specks of light still danced in front of his eyes, but his vision was slowly starting to become clear and traces of dark sky and something tall in front of him finally came into view. He blinked and looked down to see Yuugi, still holding him by the shoulders, his face pale and his expression perplexed.

"Yuugi..." He replied wearily, in his normal, leveled voice and then looked at the two Egyptians, eyeing him somewhat cautiously. He noticed the bust in Tristan's arms and the dark-haired guide quickly handed it to him, afraid he might do something to him if he didn't. Kaiba grabbed the bust from his hands angrily and glanced ahead to see a tall body of a Jackal in front of him.

"Are you okay?" Yuugi asked him in a concerned voice and he looked at the commotion ahead, hearing the disconcerting sounds of battle.

"I'm fine," he replied stoically then without another word, pushed his way forward, squeezing between the two Jackals. Yuugi, Tristan and Joey only blinked in astonishment, watching him moving forward.

"Where is he going now?" Joey exclaimed worriedly and bent down to see better. Cloaked creatures were fighting against the Jackals mercilessly. Spears were flying across the sky, hitting the targets expertly but that didn't cause enough damage; the cloaked monsters kept on coming again, swinging with pale, skeletal fingers and hissing maliciously at them. Yuugi bent down also to see something and his breath got stuck in his throat when he spotted Bakura, fighting with a young sandy-haired Egyptian and a few feet away, Shaid was standing stiffly, sending death glares in Amukh's direction.

"Shadi is in trouble!" He exclaimed, and Tristan bent down next to Joey to see for himself. Joey redirected his attention from the Jackals to the right and spotted the four of them. Almost simultaneously, the two of them gasped, staring at the young Egyptian who was ready to attack the thief again with his dagger. They were staring at him, speechless, their eyes wide in shock.

"It can't be," Tristan breathed in disbelief. Joey shook his head in amazement.

"Yeah, but...he's...there," he added, making Yuugi look at them in confusion.

"But...we thought...he died, he was supposed to be dead!" Tristan exclaimed in bewilderment, still not believing his eyes. Yuugi stared at them, puzzled for a moment.

"What are you talking about?" He asked them and they were quiet for a few seconds before Joey gulped and pointed at the young boy, trying to reach Bakura to stab him.

"Marik," he answered, his voice shaking a bit. Yuugi gave them another inquiring look. Tristan took a deep breath to finish what Joey started.

"Ishizu's brother."

* * *

Bakura was having a hard time trying to avoid getting stabbed by his old friend, now a foe. He wanted to avoid hurting him while defending himself but that didn't go both ways. Marik was merciless, swinging with his dagger swiftly and efficiently, occasionally landing a blow at his knife that came out as a clang or grazing his robes, tearing the material apart. By now, Bakura's robes were torn and in tatters, revealing his skin and exposing him to the danger of getting stabbed. And still, Bakura had no clue how to bring him back to his senses. He only had a second to glance at Shadi who was glaring at the ancient Priest threateningly, before he had to duck to avoid getting a haircut.

Across from them, Shadi and Amukh were leading a mental battle; glowering at each other, sand swirling around them wildly from the demonstration of power.

"Damn, it Marik! What did he do to you?" Bakura screamed and made one, dark-haired young woman gasp inside the underground chamber.

"That was Bakura, right?" Tea was by the gap in a second, looking out as if expecting to see Bakura standing above her. Ishizu was standing stiffly in the dark, eyes wide in shock and disbelief.

"Marik?" She whispered and clenched her fists, exhaling deeply and slowly. "It can't be...You're...no..."

Mai looked at her oddly after noticing her mumbling something to herself. Her attention was immediately on the small gap when a loud roar was heard and the muddy surface of the chamber shook slightly, making the dirt fall down again. Tea backed away quickly, becoming scared again. She clasped her hands on her chest and stared at the gap helplessly. She wanted to go out so badly, to help, to do anything, just so not to feel so helpless and useless, standing in the dark chamber while her friends were out there, risking their lives to save them.

She almost yelped when Ishizu suddenly pushed her aside and stepped on one of the stairs, raising her hands in the air once again.

"Help me," she said to Tea and she looked at her as if she had gone mad.

"But-" She started before the young archeologist cut her off.

"Help me!" This time, it was a command, followed by her serious expression and a strange gleam in her eyes. Tea was looking at her for a few moments numbly before she stepped on the stairs as well and raised her hands in the air until she was touching the cold rock.

Mai and Serenity were gaping at them incredulously. "What are you doing? Are you insane?!" Mai screamed but they didn't pay attention to her.

"Push!" Ishizu shouted and Tea gritted her teeth, pushing the rock with the little strength she still possessed. This time it was easier and the rock nudged a bit, the thin beam of light becoming wider and illuminating the chamber more.

Without asking question, Tea kept on pushing the rock, ignoring Mai's protests when Serenity joined them as well. She glanced at Ishizu and noticed an almost wild look in her eyes. Something must've happened that made her want to do something drastic as getting out of the chamber when the battle was raging outside.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she said on which Ishizu's gaze hardened. She had to get out; she had to know if her missing brother was truly still alive and somewhere out there...She wanted to see him...she wanted to know what happened to him.

She needed to know the truth.


	23. Fervor

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. It's clear as the.../_checks outside_/ night sky? Uhm...

**A/N**

I just realized that the last chapter was...kind of short and rushed. I'll try to make this one better. And thank you all for the reviews! I'm not sure how many chapters will there be, but I know the story is getting close to an end and there won't be more than 30 of them. Right, I'll shut up now and let you read.

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXII – Fervor**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The cold rock of the Ruins of the Doomed shook due to the tremendous noise, thundering all around and making the scattered remains and pebbles tremble over the small gap in the hole. The sand flew and whirled around the numerous feet, creating a dusty wall and making Seto Kaiba squint.

He was still clutching the bust in his hand tightly, leaning it to his chest as he was trying to make his way forward. The Jackals were in his way, blocking him and making it almost impossible for him to move in any direction. Still, he was determined to find the ancient Priest and make him pay for everything he did in the past.

He was so overwhelmed with the visions of his previous life that he had only one goal in his mind – to kill Amukh and make him suffer in the same way he had when he was down on his knees, feeling an almost excruciating pain that made his head spin and his body burn. He gritted his teeth and pushed one Jackal away that was standing in front of him with such force that the creature stumbled a bit and looked down at him, blinking in wonder.

Blue eyes were narrowed in such fury and hatred that they almost glistened and blazed under the dark sky. Not even the flying specks of dust could stop him from advancing ahead; he was so adamant to destroy the Priest that he ignored the prickling sensation in his eyes.

With a growl, he squeezed through the last rows of the Jackals until one of them stepped in front of him and blocked his way.

"Get out of my way!" He roared but the creature didn't move, it was just standing there, observing him with unwavering, red eyes. Kaiba clenched his fist and was ready to hit the creature when his eyes widened suddenly and he stumbled away quickly, letting out a sharp gasp when the Jackal let out a blood chilling roar and one skeletal hand burst out from its torso, bony fingers twitching and grabbing something invisible.

The hand disappeared as quickly as it came and Kaiba looked at the wide eyes of the Jackal before it fell limply on the sand, letting out the last breath it possessed. Looking up, he took a few steps back, crashing into another Jackal, staring wildly at the cloaked figure in front of him. It let out a howling sound then screeched, noticing the bust in his hand. Almost simultaneously, others turned around so quickly that the bones cracked under the hoods. The cloaked ogre stretched his hands toward him, wanting so desperately to grab the relic and snatch it from his hands.

Yuugi, Joey and Tristan stopped abruptly behind the Jackals after they tried to reach the CEO and stop him from making a mistake and getting himself killed. When they saw what happened to the Jackal, they stopped and stared in disbelief at the scene in front of them. Joey and Tristan's eyes were wide in sheer horror while Yuugi was standing stiffly with his mouth agape and his whole demeanor trembling. He managed to snap out of his shock when he saw Kaiba stumbling backwards and made his way through the swarm of the Jackals.

"Kaiba!" He yelled, pushing the bodies away and trying to squeeze through, but the creatures weren't willing to let him through. A few of them that were standing behind the CEO roared dangerously, clutching the spears in their hands and raising them up in a fighting stance. The herd of cloaked monsters started to advance towards them, wanting nothing else but the bust in Kaiba's possession, trying to reach him, swinging with long, lanky arms and pale fingers.

One of the Jackals pushed the still shocked CEO behind him and Yuugi managed to stretch his hand just barely to grab the sleeve of his trench coat, peeking between the bodies of the two Jackals. He yanked the material forcefully, pulling him back and Kaiba disappeared behind the swarm of tall creatures and spears once again, leaving the cloaked monsters to howl and seethe at them from ahead.

Yuugi grabbed the stunned CEO by the shoulders and shook him a few times, observing his blank and wide eyes worriedly.

"Kaiba!" He yelled and shook him more violently this time, making Kaiba blink and look at him. The image of the falling Jackal was spinning in his mind and he felt like his whole body went numb and immobile and he could only stand there and watch it fall helplessly to the ground. He wasn't even aware of the Jackal pushing him behind and Yuugi pulling him back.

He opened his mouth to say something but his lips moved, shaking a bit with no words coming out.

"He's still in shock," Tristan exclaimed from behind and Yuugi glanced at the Jackals, pushing the cloaked creatures away from them with spears but more and more of them kept on coming, threatening to break the solid wall between them.

He turned around, wanting to ask Tristan more about Marik, when Joey squeezed through somehow, glaring at Kaiba furiously and without a second thought, clenched his fist and punched him with all his might, making him grunt and almost fall back if there wasn't for Yuugi, still holding him by the shoulders. The spiky haired boy let out a yelp and looked at the blond Egyptian incredulously then at the glaring CEO who recovered from the blow quickly.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Joey bellowed, leaning forward and Tristan grabbed him by the shoulders immediately, trying to stop him from making another move. Kaiba growled at him, still holding the bust in his hand tightly, sending death glares in his direction. "Just because you're the reincarnation of that stupid thing doesn't mean you can move around and do what you want!" Joey ventured, jerking and trying to break free from Tristan's grasp.

Kaiba sneered at him, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his lower lip, Yuugi moving to stand between them right away.

"Joey, stop it!" Tristan shouted and Yuugi frowned at him as well.

"Tristan is right!" He cut in, becoming frustrated and irate with everything slowly, "this is not the time or place to pick fights!" He added, turning his head to look at Kaiba and give him a warning look as well. The taller young man scoffed, licking his lip and glaring at the Jackals around them.

They were standing like that for a few moments, Tristan holding Joey by the hand now while the blond boy glared at Kaiba silently, breathing heavily. His knuckles were throbbing but he was filled with satisfaction that he managed to land a solid punch at the arrogant bastard. Yuugi lowered his head, observing him from underneath his unruly spikes warningly.

"Joey," he said and the blond boy gave up, relaxing slightly and Tristan let go of his hand, but still lingered behind him in case his friend decided to change his mind again.

"Fine," Joey muttered snappishly, "I'm calm." He replied, combing his tousled hair with his fingers. Yuugi turned around to glance at Kaiba whose eyes were directed ahead, towards the front lines where the cloaked monsters were still trying to get close to them, swaying with their hands that were continuously blocked by the sharp tips of the spears.

"Now," Yuugi turned to the guides again, "what is the deal with this Marik? You said he was Ishizu's brother but was supposed to be dead," he asked and Kaiba reverted his head to pay attention to Yuugi's question, "if I understood well, or what?"

Tristan and Joey looked at each other somewhat grimly then Joey looked down at his feet solemnly.

"Yes, we thought so...but Ishizu and Rashid were always sure that he was still alive," he started and stumbled back a bit when a few Jackals bumped into him from the left. Tristan ventured in a serious tone.

"When Marik was younger, he had a fight with his father and ran away from home. Ishizu hadn't heard from him since and then there was this accident that caused many people to die," he stopped and took a deep breath, glancing at Yuugi and Kaiba before he continued.

"There was a fire, there where that wrecked house is and Ishizu got an information that Marik was spotted there right before it happened. Naturally, the police and everyone presumed that he died in the fire as well, but I think she never stopped hoping he was somewhere out there, alive..."

Stillness ensued between them, disturbed only by the sounds of the battle behind them in which Yuugi and Kaiba stared at the guides attentively while the two of them stared at the sand sadly.

"But how...did Marik end up on Amukh's side then?" Yuugi broke the uneasy silence and bent down a bit to try and catch a glimpse of the sandy haired Egyptian, but the Ruins and pretty much everything in front of him was shielded with the feet of the Jackals and the cloaks of Amukh's minions.

Tristan and Joey raised their heads and looked at each other again, shrugging.

"I don't know," Joey replied and then growled in anger when he was once again pushed aside and pushed Tristan in process who let out a surprised yelp. Yuugi and Kaiba were also suddenly pushed forward, almost landing on top of them but since there was no room to fall down, they simply bumped into each other, Yuugi bumping his head on Tristan's chin while Joey got a smack on the forehead from Kaiba's fist he was holding the bust with.

"This is driving me crazy!" Joey screamed and tried to gain some kind of balance again. Right now, he could only stand next to Tristan, leaning a few degrees to the right. Yuugi and Kaiba were squished in between, fighting to wiggle out and make some room.

"We have to get away from here!" Kaiba growled on which Tristan had to concur.

"I agree," he exclaimed, gritting his teeth when he was forced to huddle and lean his shoulders forward to get some room, "otherwise we are going to end up like sardines in a can!"

"We could sneak our way out to reach Shadi!" Joey yelled exasperatedly, trying to push the bust that was close to kissing him, away from his nose.

"I'm afraid Shadi is busy with Amukh!" Yuugi replied, closing his eyes in concentration. Kaiba was the only one who stood there motionlessly, trying to endure the pain in his limbs and glaring at the dark sky above.

"I think I'm going to kill someone soon..." He muttered and hit one of the Jackals with his elbow vigorously.

* * *

"Wait! I think there's someone out there!" Serenity gasped and stopped pushing the rock that was swaying now dangerously over her head. Tea and Mai stopped while Ishizu was still trying to push just a few more inches away, enough for her to squeeze out of the underground chamber. Tea looked at her, wondering for a moment why was she so eager to get out when Mai interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Those dogs probably," she uttered, breathing hard and not feeling her arms anymore. She shook a few times with them then let them dangle by her sides uselessly.

"Ishizu?" Tea asked the dark haired girl timidly. She was still pushing the rock inch by inch until she was sure the hole was big enough for her to get out. She turned to Tea after she thought she had said something. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she paid no attention to anything or anyone else around her.

"What?" She asked her, her breath also ragged and short, blue eyes watching her intently.

"I know you're worried and all, but..." Tea hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to say anymore. Her brown tresses were now the color of eggshell due to all the dust and dirt that fell on her head. Even her eyelashes were full of it.

Ishizu stared at her, waiting for her to finish the sentence but when Tea didn't say anything else but only lowered her head, she looked up again and grabbed the sharp edges of the stone above her. She raised her body a bit, standing on the tiptoes to try and peek outside. She quickly ducked her head when she saw a cloaked creature floating by and with horror in her eyes, realized that the Jackals that were meant to protect them were lying on the ground a few feet away.

"Oh, dear..." she whispered and paled. Tea raised her head and glanced at her worriedly. Mai and Serenity were staring at her from aside, waiting for something to happen or for some kind of explanation why they had to move the rock away and expose themselves to the danger willingly.

"Ishizu?" Tea uttered again, this time determined to say her doubts and thought out loud. "What is out there? What do you want to see so desperately?"

The dark haired archeologist lowered her head and bit her lower lip. Should she tell them that she needed to go out in order to see her brother? To see the most important person she thought was dead for a while? Glancing away, she stared at the muddy ground of the chamber pensively.

"Ishi-"

"It's more of a question _who _I have to see..." She interrupted Tea from saying her whole name and the girls exchanged puzzled glances. Not wasting another moment, she raised her head and looked at them resolutely.

"I'm going out," she said in a firm voice, "but you are going to stay here." She added in a tone that let no room for further discussion, although Tea was already ready to say something.

She turned around, grabbed the edges of the stone again and with one strong thrust, hopped up, holding onto the rock firmly, her feet dangling above the cold stairs slightly. She scanned the surrounding and almost immediately felt a wave of nausea sweeping over her when the first thing she spotted was a dismembered body of a Jackal. She saw the other one lying behind her, red eyes staring upwards, still and immobile. She shook her head and tried to climb up but found out she had no more strength in her arms to do so. Half turning her head around, she looked at the girls, looking at her with wide eyes and almost smiled at her own irresponsible behavior.

"I need some help," she said and her eyes softened for a moment, "please?"

The girls exchanged worried glances again, but when Tea grabbed her legs, and together with Mai and Serenity pushed her upwards, Ishizu managed to crawl up, scratching the cold surface of the ruins with her fingernails. She knelt down first then got up carefully, not bothering to dust herself off. Her hair was now almost glistening on the fresh air, and she shook her head a bit to make the dirt and dust fly away.

"Ishizu!"

She turned around and saw Tea looking at her anxiously. "What about us?"

She leaned down a bit and looked at her sternly. "Stay there, and do not come out! My personal issues are none of your concern!"

With that, she turned around again and with a quick swoosh of her robe, she was gone from Tea's sight. She was left to stare at the dark sky and listen to the sounds of the battle coming from outside. Looking at Mai and Serenity, she took a deep breath and sighed.

Mai looked at Serenity curiously. "What did she mean by 'personal issues'?

The young Egyptian girl looked at her oddly then shrugged, shaking her head fearfully. "I do not know."

Mai stared at her with half-lidded eyes for a few seconds then sighed and plopped down on the ground again, every bone and muscle in her body aching.

"I hate my life."

Outside, Ishizu was sneaking down the Ruins, trying to avoid getting seen by the cloaked ogres. She bent down and let out a gasp when two of them whizzed over her head and over the Ruins, letting out blood-chilling screams and howls. She grasped the material of her robe in the spot where she could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. She almost regretted her decision now, but the desire to know, to _see_ for herself if her brother was really here, was stronger than any fear.

She allowed herself a few moments to collect her thoughts and then rose from her spot again, walking over the rocky surface and hiding behind the wrecked walls of the Ruin. When she finally came to the spot where the wall ended, she took a deep breath and craned her neck to peek behind the corner.

And nearly lost her breath.

* * *

"This is getting interesting, wouldn't you agree?" Amukh exclaimed with a sickening grin, watching Shadi breathing heavily and lying on the sand in a fetal position. He watched from above, floating a few inches over the sand and observing the Prophet with a malicious smile. He let out a theatrical sigh and landed on the sand softly, standing in front of him now.

"You were never extremely good at mental games, Shadi. Give up," he spoke calmly but his voice was laced with icy tones, "the army of Anubis won't help you much." He turned around to glance at his minions with a bored expression then smirked evilly when Shadi got up slowly, clutching his head with shaky fingers.

"But then again, you were never the one to give up so easily," he ventured, and his eyes glinted dangerously as he kept on walking towards him. "Fine," he added and white teeth flashed when he grinned broadly at him, "We will play until you lose again."

On the other side of the Ruins, Marik was advancing towards a, now very weak Bakura who was standing in front of the raging battle between the Jackals and Amukh's minions. He was breathing rapidly, heavily, sweat trickling down his face. He had been successful in blocking Marik's dagger by now but now, he was becoming tired and his palms were sweaty as well and hurting from clutching the dagger in his hands. Marik, on the other hand seemed almost unaffected by the whole thing. He was breathing rapidly, too, but his strength and stamina seemed almost inhuman compared to the thief who was on the verge of collapsing.

Bakura shook his head to shake away his bangs that were plastered to his face and his eyes. His shirt was now practically nonexistent since Marik managed to rip his sleeves off and tear the most of it apart. His arms were covered in numerous cuts and slits, blood trickling down his skin. The wounds were stinging, making him grit his teeth. He was sure that he could convert him back by telling him about his past, but the boy was simply glaring at him, his eyes now completely tinted with gray and Bakura lost every hope of making him remember who he really was.

He barely had the energy and the strength to stay on his feet; he was swaying slightly, his vision becoming blurry from the sweat or from the loss of blood, he didn't know, but for the first time in his life, he was seriously afraid and panic started to get to him.

He looked behind him and saw he had nowhere to go – a high curtain of sand was swirling behind him, indicating that the creatures were still involved in a merciless battle. He looked back at his used-to-be friend and swallowed hard when he saw him raising his dagger in the air, ready to attack him again.

The white haired thief closed his eyes, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists over the handle tighter, now even ready to fight back, to really fight back and...

The dagger simply slipped away from his hands and Bakura stared numbly at the shiny blade, resting neatly in the sand below. His hands were shaking and he looked up, raising his eyes. His head swam with images of his childhood for some reason and he fell down on his knees, looking dully at Marik's approaching figure. He couldn't even feel the ache in his body anymore or the stingy sensation in his wounds. His head spun and he started falling down.

A tanned hand stopped him from hitting the ground, grabbing his head and raising it up. He opened his eyes, expecting to see the sand but he saw Marik's face, so clearly now and he stared intently into his eyes. The dagger was raised and Marik's lips twitched up to form a sickening smile, when someone grabbed him from behind and yanked him away from the thief with a loud scream. Bakura blinked in confusion before he hit the sandy ground. He managed to turn his head to see what happened and his eyes widened slightly at the sight.

Black and white mixed and tangled together for a moment, before Marik pushed the figure away. He got up quickly, hopping on his feet, dagger ready to stab and swing when he got face to face with a dark haired woman who was watching him intently with tears in her eyes.

"Marik," she whispered and kept on staring at him with blue eyes...familiar blue eyes...

Something stirred in him and he let out a scream, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Like a pulsating sensation, something yanked and pulled inside of him violently, his head spinning with images of her and his emotions raging through him, making him fall down on his knees, eyes wide and staring at the ominous sky.

His head was blank for a moment before he lowered his head and blinked a few times with a pair of clear, violet eyes. He opened his mouth and his lips moved.

"Sister?"


	24. Redemption

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Someone else does...and it's not me...yeah...bummer.

**A/N**

Wow! Over 100 reviews! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! _/sparkles and throws cookies all over the place/_

I'm not going to ramble about the chapter, but I am going to answer a few questions...uhm...remarks, that is.

Right, so:

_reenas-as_ – I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, I was feeling creative..._/grins/_

_DojomistressAmbyChan_ – Thank you! Ishizu wanted to get out to see for herself if Marik was indeed alive. After all, he's her brother and her only family. That's why she seemed so brave to you, I guess. The ghouly things (hah, I like the description!) didn't see the hole because it was still sealed (not all the way, though because the girls managed to push the rock a bit to let some air in) when they came and killed the two Jackals.

_InsanityRoseSparkles_ – Thank you! About the childhood memories flashing before Bakura's eyes – well, he thought he was going to die then and it was proven that almost every person's life flashes in front of their eyes before they die for some reason...Don't know why, really myself.

_TeaTwin_ - _/grins/_ Thank you!

---

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXIII – Redemption**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The underground chamber was shuddering and quaking slightly, making the dust fall from the ceiling. Maybe that was the main reason why Mai had a feeling like everything would tumble down soon and kill them all. She was looking nervously at the falling specks of dirt and mud, hunched down on the cold floor of the chamber. Tea and Serenity were staring outside anxiously, the hole still opened and the rock removed. 

Serenity was shivering slightly, not knowing anymore whether she was shivering because of the chilly air breezing from outside or because she was frightened. She embraced herself, looking worriedly outside, not saying a word. She was worried about Ishizu, just like Tea was.

The brown haired girl was standing stiffly right under the hole, ignoring the dust and dirt falling around her. She was already covered with it enough to care about her appearance. Her eyes were wide open in anxiety and fear, as she was also trembling by Serenity's side. The ground as well as the ceiling of the chamber rocked and vibrated, causing them to wobble slightly in their spots. Still, she wondered why was Ishizu so adamant to go outside. What was so important that she was willing to risk her life to see...someone?

The ground shook and Serenity had to reach for the wall in one moment to keep herself on her feet. Mai yelped and would've landed on her face if she hadn't stretched her arms quickly enough to fall on them, palms and fingers digging into the brown surface.

"Damn it!" She spat and got up quickly, clapping with her palms to get rid of the dirt. She frowned and inspected her nails; they were definitely ruined now.

Tea grabbed the wall for support, leaning back and forth slightly when the whole chamber started to tremble, dirt falling down from the ceiling. It fell on her hair, crawling down her neck and ended inside of her shirt, making her growl. It was an unpleasant sensation. She tried to scratch it out but without success. The dirt already mixed with her wet clothes and skin and she almost growled, feeling it prickle and scrape her skin.

She quickly raised her head when she heard a rumbling sound coming from outside. It sounded like something was breaking and disintegrating above them before the loud thud was heard just above their heads, like something heavy fell over them. Mai took a few steps aside, eyeing the ceiling warily and trying to wobble her way to the girls. Serenity was still clutching the wall of the chamber tightly, afraid to let go.

Tea was eyeing the falling specks, noticing how the amount of dirt and mud started to increase and she realized that they would end up covered in dust soon. She had to come up with something and fast. She almost let out a shriek when something fell on her head suddenly and bounced off to land on the ground. She looked down, together with a shocked Serenity and a perplexed Mai. A little piece of rock rolled from outside and fell through the hole.

Mai's eyes widened and she quickly grabbed Tea by the shoulders after glancing at the ceiling once more.

"We have to get out of here!" She yelled at her and Tea was speechless for a moment, staring at her bewildered expression. Serenity was standing next to them, observing them fearfully without a word. "Tea!" Mai shook her violently and the girl snapped out of her stupor and glanced up through the hole.

She realized that Mai was right; the ceiling was collapsing with every tremble more and more and she knew that either way – they would end up buried under the ruins. They had no choice – either it would be the ceiling that would fall on them or the rocks that were starting to fall in the chamber from outside would shut the only exit they had and then they would have absolutely no chance to survive. With a terrified gleam in her eyes, she swallowed hard and looked into Mai's eyes.

The blond journalist observed her with something akin to anticipation. Serenity's eyes were traveling to and fro for a while, before she realized herself what was to do.

She stepped on one of the stairs, still clutching the wall tightly with her hands. She received two swift nods after she spoke in a trembling voice.

"We must leave this place."

* * *

The vision was starting to become blurry and fuzzy but Bakura was still trying to stay awake. The scene in front of him was too important to fall asleep right now. With a grunt, he tried to stand up but his hands refused to give him a boost up, and his body shook with failed attempts to rise. He had no more strength in his limbs and his head was spinning, making everything swirl in front of his eyes. After he tried to roll over onto his side and managed to fall on his back instead, he gave up. He stared at the dark sky dully for a second before the faint voices to his right made him turn his head to see what was going on. 

There was that woman...the black haired one. What was her name? He couldn't remember. He wasn't even sure if he knew her name at all, his mind trying to regain at least some kind of equilibrium again. He blinked a few times to shake the haziness away and saw someone in a cloak kneeling on the sand not so far away from him. Now...who was that?

When he spotted a sandy haired young man, his eyes widened a bit and he let out a moan when he tried to get up again bit every bone in his body denied him that wish and he fell down again, white tresses spilled around his head in a messy heap.

That was Marik, his mind told him and he turned his head again to see the woman approaching him steadily. Through the haze, he thought he saw tears falling down her face when she stopped in front of him, fell down on her knees and hugged the boy tightly, rocking him back and forth. He didn't understand why she was hugging him, nor he heard a thing she said. Her lips were moving but all he could hear was a loud buzzing sound in his ears, as if someone whistled in them constantly. He let his eyes close and darkness engulfed him before his mind managed to create one, last coherent thought.

_It's all right now..._

Ishizu was crying openly, holding her brother tightly in her embrace. She couldn't believe that it was really him, standing there and fighting against Bakura. He looked different, yes, but it was still Marik, he was still her little brother no matter what. She couldn't leave him now, not when she finally found him again. He was shaking and shivering in her arms, his whole body trembling violently. When she released him a bit to see his face, she saw he was crying as well and she let out a sob, hugging him again and almost squeezing the life out of him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, Ishizu..." he was mumbling constantly, his whole mind a blur. He didn't know what was going on. He couldn't remember how he got there, what he was doing there in the first place, but somehow, he knew he did something wrong, something terrible. A malevolent face flashed in his mind suddenly and he jerked violently, making Ishizu let him go again.

"Marik? Are you all right? Wha-what is wrong?" She asked him when she noticed the shocked and horrified look on his face. His lower lip trembled as violet eyes opened wide. He was looking her straight in the eye intensely but it was like his mind was wandering somewhere else, his eyes were clouded slightly. Ishizu watched him with great concern; afraid he might turn into that _thing_ once again.

"Marik?" She whispered worriedly. Suddenly, he got up so quickly and forcefully that he made her fall back a bit. He raised a shaky hand in the air, staring at it fixatedly. Various emotions crossed his face, from shock and disbelief to anger, fury, guilt, remorse, and in the end – disgust.

Slowly, he turned around and looked at the white haired thief somberly who was lying on the sand peacefully with his eyes closed. His brows furrowed in anger for a moment when he saw in what condition he was. And he was the one who did all that to him. He lowered his hand slowly, and glanced at his sister who was watching him quietly from below, still sitting on the sand.

"I..." he started, his voice breaking and he didn't bother to clear his throat. Ishizu got up on her feet, taking a hesitant step forward, but he stopped her with a single motion of his hand. He was standing like that, staring absentmindedly at her before he lowered his hand and with a furious gleam in his eyes turned around to look for something.

Spotting the dagger that fell out of his hands when Ishizu grabbed him from behind, he made a few quick steps, bent down and grabbed it swiftly, swinging with it and cutting the air. Ishizu stared at him in confusion, not comprehending what he had in mind when he approached her suddenly and stopped in front of her. His eyes were glistening with something raw, narrowed dangerously in anger.

"M-Marik, wha-"

"Take Bakura," he told her, interrupting her from asking him what he had in mind. Turning around, he scanned the surroundings, searching for the sword Amukh gave him. He spotted it a few feet away, glistening slightly. He grabbed it as well and turned to look at her again. "Take him to a safe place. Tell the others with you to-"

"Marik, wait!" She cut in, making him stop, "What are you planning to do?"

He was gazing at her almost wistfully for a few moments before his eyes narrowed again and he looked at her with determination in her eyes. That made Ishizu gasp as she realized what he had in mind.

"No," She shook her head, already reaching with her hands to stop him from going away, "no, Marik, don't!" She pleaded, blue eyes filling with fresh tears again. He caught her by the wrists and pulled her hands away gently, shaking his own head.

"Ishizu," he spoke calmly and she turned her head away from him, tears falling down her cheeks freely, "I have to do this. I have to stop him," he ventured and she started to sob, closing her eyes and shaking her head in a vain attempt to make him think again. "I am the only one who knows how! Ishizu!" He yelled when she yanked her hands away from him angrily and looked at him desperately.

"I just...I just found you, Marik! I don't want to lose you again!" Every word was cried out hoarsely, her fists clenched by her sides. He was observing her with a grave expression, wanting to do something to comfort her, but he knew that there was nothing he could do or say. He leaned in and hugged her gently, making her sniffle and choke on a sob and she hugged him back tightly, wanting to keep it that way.

"I know where the busts are," he whispered in her ear calmly and she leaned back to look at him in disbelief. Wiping the tears off her cheeks, she stared at him in puzzlement. He nodded firmly and smiled at her. "I know about everything...I...remembered," the last word was laced with venom and he glanced up to look at her. Her eyes were shimmering with emotions and he stepped out of the embrace, leaving her hands to fall limply by her sides.

"I am going to make everything right, sister," he said in a serious tone and turning around, headed towards the curtain of sand and disappeared behind it, leaving Ishizu to raise a hand and stare after him in some kind of daze. She was standing stiffly like that for a few moments before she turned around and looked at the sleeping Bakura.

When she approached him slowly, she knelt down and put one arm around his back to get him up. She put that same hand around his neck and put one of his around her shoulder. She struggled with him for a while before she finally managed to get him up on his knees. She wasn't strong enough to lift him to his full height so she gave up and started dragging him towards the ruins again.

Bakura's shins were leaving two straight lines behind him in the sand. She stopped for a moment to turn around and look at the battle, masked with a high sandy curtain behind her. The desert was shakingand trembling underneath her feet as she walked slowly towards the ruins again. She yelped and quickly bent down when one of the cloaked monsters suddenly whizzed past her and landed on the sand in front of her.

She stared blankly at the still figure and then almost shrieked when the creature suddenly rose again, cloak billowing behind him. She stared helplessly at him with wide eyes, trying to run away from it. It had already seen her and started to advance towards her, but she couldn't leave Bakura behind. She fell down on the sand and covered both of them with her hands until she could hear the creature howl ominously and then one loud scream followed.

"Ishizu!" Tea screamed, carrying a rock in her hands and before the creature managed to turn around, it toppled down, the full size of the rock hitting the insides of his hood. Ishizu raised her head and stared in wonder at a breathless Tea, who stood a few feet away from them now. She blinked in astonishment when she spotted Mai and Serenity, equally armed with rocks and stones. They were all breathing heavily, their facial expressions a mixture of fear and boldness at the same time. It was an awkward moment.

When Tea spotted Bakura, lying motionlessly on the sand, she gasped and quickly dashed towards them. Ishizu already managed to get a grip on herself and started to get up when she let out a gasp and pointed at a cloaked creature, rising slowly again from the ground.

"Tea!" She yelled in panic, making Tea stop in her attempts to pick Bakura on his feet again. She looked at the approaching ogre and stared in fright. She had no more rocks to throw. Only a second after, they were both gawking at Mai and Serenity who were suddenly standing behind the creature, hitting him on the head with their rocks mercilessly.

The monster raised its hands to defend itself but Mai was so mad and angry that she didn't even mind the skeletal fingers trying to grab her by the hair; she smacked the ogre so hard across what she presumed was his face, that its head almost turned for 90 degrees, bones cracked inside the hood and the creature swayed for a moment before it fell limply to the ground with a thud.

Mai was left to stand above him with another rock in her left hand, ready to use it if necessary. She was breathing rapidly, her hair tousled and disheveled but there was undoubtedly a look of satisfaction and victory on her face. Ishizu, together with Tea and Serenity stared at her in disbelief before she straightened and looked at them with a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

"Serves him right!"

Ishizu and Tea exchanged awkward glances before Tea told her to hurry up. Ishizu scolded her a bit for leaving the chamber, but she still thanked her for saving her life. The brown haired just smiled softly at her.

They lifted a still unconscious Bakura together and made a few steps forward, when someone called Tea's name and she quickly turned her head to the right. She was squinting, trying to see someone in the sea of the Jackals and then her lips turned upwards in a genuine smile when she saw Yuugi waving to her from between the two of them.

"Come on," she instructed and Ishizu complied, "that way!"

Mai and Serenity followed close behind, looking around warily for any signs of cloaked creatures.

Yuugi found himself in a bone-crushing hug after the girls reached them. He felt his ribs cracking a bit but he didn't mind. He hugged Tea and Mai back. Mai went so far to hug Joey as well, who blushed slightly despite the situation. Tristan and Serenity helped them with Bakura and they managed to make some room for the thief to lie him down.

Tea knelt down beside him, observing him worriedly. She let out a soft gasp when she saw how many cuts and bruises he had all over his body. He was still breathing, albeit in small, shallow breaths but he was alive and she sniffled, wiping the upcoming tears from her eyes.

"Now what?" Tristan asked them all a stinging question after they all settled in a small circle, surrounded by the Jackals. Kaiba was observing them all keenly, scanning them all one by one.

He exchanged glances with Ishizu, Joey and Yuugi. Ishizu lowered her head and then it finally clicked to the boys that her brother was also here. Never the one to be very tactful, Joey allowed himself to ask about him.

"Is it true? Marik is alive?"

Ishizu raised her head quickly and then glanced aside when she saw the looks they were all giving her. Tea and Mai looked at them in confusion, but Serenity's eyes carried a small spark of acknowledgement.

"Yes, he is," she replied solemnly and wondered where he was at the moment. Joey and Tristan exchanged glances, a few questions already lingering on their lips but Yuugi beat them to it.

"Why is he on Amukh's side?"

Ishizu shook her head quickly and explained what she knew and what he told her before he left.

"He knows where the busts are?!" Everyone asked her incredulously and she nodded slowly, staring at the still body of Bakura and Tea who was hunched over him protectively.

"He said he knew, yes, and..." There she stopped and swallowed, "he went to get them."

* * *

Finding the busts was not a hard task to do. 

Marik knew the plans and knew exactly where to look. He remembered how Amukh didn't want to take them with him, but left them in the possession of one of the minions. He was supposed to keep the briefcase with the busts inside.

He managed to make his way through the outskirts of the raging battle and managed to avoid a fight with the Jackals and the minions. He spotted one, solitary figure, hovering over the sand behind the whole mess of creatures and approached it carefully.

Since he was still wearing the cloak, the creature didn't suspect a thing and with a satisfied smirk he swung with the sword, ripping the cloak of the creature in the process. It let out a blood-curling scream and fell down, bony fingers unclenching and making the briefcase fall to the sand.

He picked it up quickly, holding the sword in one hand and the briefcase in the other. Ripping his cloak as well, he threw it aside angrily, leaving his old, slightly torn, robes on. He made his way back, determined to redeem himself for everything he did under the Priest's control.

By the other side of the Ruins of the Doomed, Shadi was breathing heavily, clutching his robes with his fingers tightly. Although he knew he was immortal and couldn't be killed anymore, he had to make Amukh believe he was just like him – a reincarnation, a same, old soul resting in a mortal body. And although there was no danger for him, he was still panting a bit, the mental battle making him slightly weary. Amukh was still good at playing games.

The ancient Priest was smirking mockingly at him from the other side, that same malevolent and sadistic smile playing on his lips.

"Tired already, Shadi?" He asked him in a cold, silky voice, dark bangs swaying mildly over a pair of sharp, malicious emerald eyes. The Prophet was tempted to smirk back and tell him that he couldn't do a thing to him in one moment, but decided against it. The time to reveal all the cards hadn't come yet.

He straightened up slowly, fixing his robes a bit and was prepared to endure another set of painful visions in which the Priest would make him relive all those hurtful memories and make him feel the excruciating pain again. He even made him shudder when he was forced to relive the most recent memory in which he was being stabbed by the cloaked creature and left to bleed in the museum.

His mind was strong, but not as strong as the mind of the ancient Priest. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth and was ready to feel a stabbing sensation in his chest when the Priest suddenly turned around and emerald eyes widened drastically, the smirk disappearing from his face.

Shadi stared at the sandy haired Egyptian with a briefcase in his hand, violet eyes blazing with fury and a strong desire for revenge.

Not so far away, Seto Kaiba drew in a sharp breath, making everyone gape at him as his eyes widened as well, and he shuddered for a second, before he spoke in a low voice.

"They're here."


	25. To win the game

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I tried to lie to my neighbors about it, but they didn't buy it.

**A/N**

Well, I hope you all had a merry Christmas and happy holidays. As for me – I caught a cold around Christmas and had to drink gallons of tea pro day. It was no fun...

Anyway, I'd like to thank you all for reviewing. Yes, the last chapter was scribbled somewhat in a hurry, so I'm sorry if I misspelled some words or used wrong tenses...I'm going to quote _Reenas-as_ when I'll say that tenses are evil..._/chuckles/_ Also, I've noticed that FF-net's formatting is kind of evil, too. It likes to connect separated words for some reason...O.o

But, I'm sidetracking. So, I hope this chapter will be better and I hope you'll enjoy it.

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXIV – To win the game**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

Kaiba was standing stiffly in the middle of the sea of the Jackals, staring intensely ahead. Although he couldn't see anything past the tall bodies, he couldn't get rid of the sudden sensation that swept through him and made him shiver. He wasn't even sure if he could name the feeling is someone asked him to, but it was simply something so strong, so intense and powerful...making him want to walk forward and grasp that something with his hands. He already made a step forward, looking transfixed for a moment before he jerked and stopped, looking down to see a puzzled and worried face of Yuugi Mutou. 

"Kaiba?" The spiky-haired boy asked, eying him warily and he noticed others looking at him cautiously, gathered around him in a tight space. "What is here?"

He was trying to define the sensation in him and he already opened his mouth to say something, but his voice refused to pass his lips and he stared dully at Yuugi, who was watching him with eyes wide open. He just couldn't describe it. Something was calling him, drawing him forward, and he suddenly felt a strange longing feeling. It was just _bizarre._

"I..." he finally started, glancing around and trying to pinpoint the place where those voices, whispers, were calling him from. "I don't know," he added and looked back at Yuugi when he tugged at his sleeve again.

Ishizu was in deep thoughts for a few moments, before she raised her hand to look at him sternly, switching again into scientist mode.

"Is it something similar to a sensation you felt when you saw the bust of Osiris?" She asked him and he looked at her somewhat in surprise. His eyes narrowed in concentration, his mind remembering the powerful, tingling sensation under his fingers when he touched the clay bust. He nodded mutely and that was all Ishizu needed to deduce what was going on. She turned around in the small circle, losing herself amidst the Jackals, trying to find some kind of gap to see where her brother was.

"What is it? Ishizu?" Tristan asked the dark-haired woman, who was currently trying to squeeze through the small gap between the two, tall bodies. Others were watching her intently; even Tea raised her head and glanced at her from beneath, still holding Bakura who was lying peacefully on the sand.

"It can mean only one thing," she replied hastily and turned around when Joey grabbed her by the hand and stopped her. He gave her a questioning look and she sighed, torn between the urge to go and see where Marik was and explaining everything to them. In the end, she had to comply, when Yuugi and others agreed and practically ordered her to stay put.

"The busts are here!" She explained and looked at Kaiba whose eyes were slightly glazed now, staring somewhere ahead. "My brother found them! They are here, somewhere in the near!" She added in an almost ecstatic voice, leaving them to digest the news. Yuugi, Joey and Tristan exchanged glances while Mai and Serenity huddled near the blond Egyptian, somehow feeling even more frightened than before. Tea lowered her head and looked at the thief solemnly, stroking his bangs slowly. She knew that everything was far from being over; she just wished she could do something about it...

"Now what?" Tristan asked and broke the silence between them. They all exchanged glances, some of them tired, some of them wary and some of them panicky. A loud scream made them all jump slightly and they quickly turned around in the direction they thought they heard it. Ishizu's eyes widened, her fingers trembling faintly – that wasn't her brother, was it?

Kaiba jerked and his eyes focused on the Jackals in front of him when they were once again, pushed backwards. Before Tea could react, he stepped on something soft, his shoe sinking slightly into something. Tea was already ready to scream at him to get his foot off Bakura's abdomen, but the thief did that for her, brown eyes opening quickly, flashing and promising murder to the one who stepped on him. He let out a painful groan and Kaiba quickly raised his foot only to step on his fingers again.

He hissed and quickly stood up, despite the searing pain in his head. With all the throbbing inside his skull, now he had to endure a sudden wave of nausea and a throbbing sensation in his fingers. Kaiba simply stared at him in some sort of wonder, but before Bakura could leap at him, Tea quickly stopped him by jumping in front of him and blocking his way.

"What a way to come to," Joey remarked with a somewhat sardonic grin. Serenity and Mai gaped at him, his sister resisting the urge to scold him for his caustic comment.

"Bakura!" Tea shouted, looking at him pleadingly and the thief growled at the CEO for a moment, before he diverted his attention to the girl in front of him, who had her hands on his chest firmly. He looked at her and she smiled, despite the situation.

"Are you okay?" She asked him in a serious voice now, noticing all the bruises and cuts over his hands and face again. He spat aside and smirked at her in return.

"Never been better," he replied in a deep voice and she hugged him, tears already forming in his eyes. He did shoot one last murderous glance at Kaiba, but the taller man was already looking ahead again, trying to pry a leaning body of a Jackal off of him. Mai and Serenity were watching the touching scene with silly grins on their lips, Mai grasping Joey's hand unconsciously. The blond boy looked at her in surprise but when he noticed an almost happy expression on her face and the way her eyes glistened while she was watching the two, he gulped and slowly, almost gingerly, entwined his fingers with hers.

Yuugi tried to see what Kaiba was so fervently looking at, but since he was almost as tall as Ishizu, couldn't see anything past the Jackals' waists.

He looked at the CEO and studied his ardent gaze for a moment, before he dared to ask him something.

"Kaiba," he spoke calmly and the blue eyed man looked down to meet his stern, violet orbs, "what do you think we should do now?"

Everyone gathered around looked at the CEO, expecting him to make some kind of decision, but he only stared at them numbly, the busts making his head spin now. He himself didn't have a clue what to do; he was drawn to the incredible power the busts emanated, ready to walk through the swarm of Jackals like a hypnotized man, only to see them, to touch them and admire their glory. But, on the other hand, being a man who had been listening to logic and reasoning for all his life was making him feeling torn between the two sides now. A sudden image of the Prophet entered his mind...what would Shadi do now?

* * *

The ancient Prophet was lying on the sand, his whole body shivering and convulsing with the unbearable pain in his chest. He knew he couldn't die; the mental images of swords stabbing him mercilessly were just that – mere images, illusions. 

Very painful illusions, though...

He had to admit that the ancient Priest definitely knew how to make someone squirm in pain and agony. He managed to open his eyes, squinting at the scene in front of him, trying to summon enough energy and sanity to warn the young Egyptian to run for his life, because he was no match for the Priest. His breaths were coming out as ragged gasps, and he stiffened a scream by biting his lower lip. He had to warn the boy, he had to tell him to get away.

What was meant to be a scream in agony came out as a shrill warning.

"RUN!"

Marik glanced at the man on the sand for only a second, before he averted his eyes at Amukh again. The ancient Priest was watching him in some kind of odd mixture of surprise, bemusement and wariness. He wasn't smirking anymore.

"Marik," he whispered finally, his voice coming out like a hiss of a snake. He looked away from his penetrating gaze and glanced at the familiar briefcase in his hands. Emerald eyes traveled back up to meet the narrowed, sharp violet orbs again. "Just what...is the meaning of this?"

Marik scoffed bitterly, resisting the urge to snarl at him. And to jump at him and strangle him right here and right now. But he knew him already well enough to know that he wouldn't stand a chance against him in ahand-to-hand combat.

"Why don't you guess, Amukh?" He spat the words out this time and tightened his grip on the metallic handle of the briefcase. The ancient Priest was watching him intently for a few moments before he glanced over his shoulder at the crouched Shadi.

So, the young boy managed to break free of his grip somehow. That was definitely unusual...and interesting, as well. What was even more interesting was the fact that he was holding _his_ briefcase with _his_ busts in his hands. Amukh smirked on which Marik frowned, glaring at him vehemently. This would be fun.

"You used me and manipulated me to do _your_ dirty work, Amukh!" Marik snarled this time loudly, resisting the urge to really jump at him and slit his throat. The Priest was smirking mockingly at him, enjoying these kinds of games. He enjoyed making them angry, losing their cool, attacking him heedlessly and then, in a second, it would all be over.

He took a step forward, making Marik shake with a barely suppressed rage. He tightened his grip on the handle even more to the point where his knuckles turned white and his nails dug into the flesh of his palm. He knew what Amukh was capable of, and right now, he had something he wanted. He took a careful step back, reaching for the dagger in his robes. The weapon glistened faintly as he aimed it at him.

They were walking steadily in circles like that – Amukh making one step forward, Marik making one step back. Shadi watched the boy incredulously, not comprehending how could he be so stupid to aim a dagger at the Priest, while holding the busts in other hand.

"Listen to me!" He managed to choke out. Marik spared no glance at him this time. "You have to leave! Run!"

"Be quiet!" Amukh hissed scornfully and with a motion of his hand, sent him flying back. Shadi hit the wall of the ruins with a grunt and fell down in heap of robes, breathing heavily. Has the boy gone mad? Does he really want to get himself killed? He had already warned Ishizu, but...

"Give me the briefcase, Marik," Amukh spoke calmly, voice cool and sounding almost mellow. "You know you can't even scratch me, let alone harm me in any way. Don't be foolish, boy."

Marik snorted loudly, still walking backwards, their feet already creating a visible circle in the sand. "You're a fool here, Amukh," he replied in a low voice and the Priest frowned. He really hated when he was insulted.

With a single lift of his finger, the dagger slipped out of Marik's hand and flew right into his. Marik was left to stare at the blade in his hand, his fingers still outstretched and gripping only air.

Amukh smirked sadistically again, which made Marik's insides turn.

"Now," he coaxed slowly, observing the dagger in his hand with fake interest, "how about you give me that briefcase willingly?" He asked him, and raised a pair of malevolent, narrowed eyes. They softened in an almost inhuman manner for a second before he ventured. "I might even reconsider sparing your pathetic life."

Shadi lifted his head, and groaned when something trickled down his forehead and fell into his eyes, making him squint. He wiped the liquid off his skin and noticed it was red. So, he was bleeding. And what else was new?

Slowly, he got up, his head spinning and making his feet wobble unsteadily on the sand. He glanced aside and noticed bodies lying around the ruins. Some of them were the bodies of Jackals and some of them were cloaked creatures. He expected to see them dissipate like the last time, but obviously Amukh had no intentions to summon them back and resurrect again. Speaking of Amukh...

He turned his head around quickly, trying to ignore the blur of figures in front of his eyes. He needed to stop the boy from getting himself killed. And judging by the scene in front of him, he wasn't far from it.

"No," Marik said firmly in a voice that left no room for further discussion. Amukh's lips curled up in a sadistic smile again. He shrugged and without a warning, lifted his hand so quickly that Marik barely had the time to register the briefcase slipping out of his grasp and flying over to the ancient Priest.

His eyes widened and he was once again, left standing there, empty-handed. From the short distance, Shadi gasped and whispered one, desperate 'No.'

Marik was still staring helplessly at the Priest who let the dagger spin in circles over his palm. After a few moment of silent boasting, he grasped the dagger again and glanced at the briefcase victoriously. Marik turned around, not wanting to look at him anymore. He gazed at one of the Jackals and stared intently at him, violet eyes wide with fear and despair.

Amukh let the dagger spin in the air again and concentrated on opening the briefcase. With a final _click_, he smirked evilly at both Marik and Shadi who managed to limp his way back to stand near them with a frightened expression.

The briefcase opened and Amukh's eyes shot open wide. He looked at Marik whose desperate expression suddenly turned into a satisfied smirk.

"I told you," he said slowly, watching the shocked expression on the Priest's face, "_you _are a fool here."

Shadi blinked and looked at Marik incredulously. Then he blinked again and looked at the briefcase. His eyes widened as well, when instead of seeing two, ancient relics, he saw nothing but black velvety material.

The briefcase was empty.

Before anyone could react, Marik turned swiftly to that Jackal he had been observing for the last few moments and screamed at him.

"GO!"

The Jackal jerked, red eyes flashed and before he turned around to run, the Priest and Shadi noticed two, small clay like things in his hands. Amukh's eyes widened further and with a terrifying roar he turned around to look at the sandy-haired Egyptian who was smirking at him in satisfaction.

Emerald irises turned into small dots but then suddenly flashed with something so evil that Shadi and Marik winced. Shadi gasped, recognizing the moment from his visions and took a step forward, trying to ignore the pain in every muscle.

"RUN, BOY!"

In one single second, Marik saw him running towards him and saw the Priest stretching his arm from the corner of his eye, the dagger spinning and then, finally felt a sharp, searing pain in his chest that made him lose his breath and fall down on his knees. The image of the Priest swirled in front of him, and he could hear Shadi screaming, but as the world swirled, bright, light colors dancing around him, he smiled a genuine smile.

_I did it. Forgive me, sister._

Not so far away, Ishizu gasped softly when something clenched around her heart. She gulped and raised her head slowly, staring ahead numbly.

White started to turn into gray until it was all black, and he couldn't feel, hear or see anything anymore. He touched the dagger with his fingers lightly before he started falling.

Shadi managed to kneel down just in time to catch his falling body. Blood smeared his already dirty robes and he stared with eyes wide at the smiling boy, Amukh's roaring voice ringing in his ear.

He turned around and growled in anger, the same murderous expression crossing his face now.

"AMUKH!"

* * *

Kaiba was just ready to suggest to everyone to go and at least see what was going on, when they were all suddenly pushed backwards again and Joey cursed out loud, ready to kill the Jackal who did that even if the creature was supposed to protect them. 

When he was greeted by a very upset looking Jackal, who almost rammed the busts into his nose, though, he quickly changed his mind and lowered his fist.

Others stared at the creature, perplexed and baffled by the sudden appearance of the busts, looking at the Jackal as if he just fell from Mars.

"Wha..." Yuugi spluttered then looked at Kaiba who was equally shocked to see them so suddenly. Without a warning, Ishizu grabbed the Jackal by the hands and started shaking him violently.

"Where is Marik?" She shouted while others stared at them, perplexed. "Where is my brother?"

The creature was looking at her dully, red eyes unwavering. Not wanting to wait any longer she pushed it aside, ignoring the yells behind her.

"Marik!" She screamed, making her way through the swarm of tall creatures.

"Now what?" Joey asked, gaping after her worriedly. Yuugi, Kaiba and Bakura exchanged somewhat awkward, knowing glances.

"We can't leave her to go there on her own!" Yuugi finally said and with his mind set, ordered the Jackal to protect the busts with its life. The creature craned its neck aside a bit but nodded firmly. Kaiba was reluctant to give his bust to it, but when they all glared at him, he let out a low growl and unwillingly handed the bust to the Jackal.

He squeezed through and followed after Yuugi and Bakura. Tristan and Joey nodded at each other and already turned around to tell the girls to stay where they were, but Tea stopped them before they even had a chance to open their mouths.

"I'm going, too!" With her chin held high, she made her way through the crowd and disappeared.

Mai and Serenity exchanged glances before Mai sighed and shrugged.

"Ah, let's just go," she muttered and went ahead after Tea. Not wanting to be left behind, the last trio quickly scampered after Mai, leaving the Jackals to regroup and close the small gap after them.


	26. Flesh and bones

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I don't even own a BEWD plushie! ::_cries_::

**Author Notes**

Erm...yeah. Haven't updated in a while. I wanted to do it before but then I caught the flu and was bedridden for a few days, wasting handkerchiefs madly, drinking gallons of tea and...but I'm sure you don't want to know about that...

Anyway, yeah – I killed Marik. But like _Reenas-as_ said – at least he got to do the right thing. Initially, I wanted to keep him alive and had totally different plans for him, but, eh – changed my mind.

Oh, I have a fanfic blog! Muaha! Now I can boast with that as well. Since almost everyone had some kind of journals and stuff, I wanted one, too. At least I can post my doodles there – I posted some pics related to this fic. You can check it out and drop a line or a few. The link is on my bio page.

Hmm...and that's about it. Thank you all for wonderful reviews.

_Yume Takato_ – I'll get to the point where you'll see the busts in action very soon! ::_grins_::

* * *

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXV – Flesh and bones**

-by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The dust was still covering the fighting creatures, sand flying around viciously, spears clashing against bones. Numerous bodies of the Jackals and the cloaked ogres were lying around, scattered and immobile. There was a distinct clap of thunder over the sky and the wind started blowing unpleasantly, tousling Ishizu's hair and making the jewelry around her neck and on her ears jingle.

She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the onslaught of the sand, making her way forward, trying to avoid the battling beasts and find her brother.

She stopped for a moment abruptly, letting out a gasp when she felt the cold breeze against her body, strong and nippy, pushing her backwards.

"Ishizu!" Yuugi yelled from behind, trying to break through the blowing barrier to reach her. She barely had the time to turn her head away when something hard rammed into her and she fell down with a thud, letting out a startled shriek. She opened her eyes quickly and stared at the squirming body of a Jackal who was trying to get back on his feet.

Yuugi's eyes widened when he saw the cloaked creature approaching quickly, cloak hovering over the sand and blowing it around.

"Come on!" He turned around, spotting Bakura next to him, half of his face covered with the high collar of his robes. He gulped and took an awkward step forward, his feet sinking into the sand heavily. The wind was howling ominously around them, making Kaiba's trench coat billow sharply behind him.

"Ishizu!" Tea screamed from behind him, followed by Mai, Serenity and the two guides who were yelling exasperatedly against the wind, trying to see something through the gusts of sand.

Ishizu's eyes widened as well, breath stuck in her throat when she saw the approaching figure in a cloak. She let out a groan, trying to push the Jackal off of her hastily, but the creature had difficulties with his spear that got stuck between his legs and Ishizu's.

"Get off of me!" She screamed desperately, gasping in pain a second later when she felt the tip of the spear grazing her leg. The Jackal was jerking and squirming violently, and in the end managed to pull the spear out from the mess of robes and feet, but when he raised it in the air, the cloaked figure ripped it out of his hands and poised it over its head to add a final blow.

Ishizu's lips parted, blue eyes wide in fright. "No!"

A moment later, she felt two hands beneath her upper arms, pulling her backwards almost violently. She had only a second to react and pedal with her legs vehemently before she was free again and the spear rammed into the Jackal sharply, parting sand beneath it as well.

Bakura and Yuugi let go of her immediately and she glanced at them briefly before Tea and Mai pulled her up quickly and practically pushed her backwards where Tristan and Joey grabbed her by the shoulders, scanning her for any sign of injury.

The creature hissed at them, before Bakura lifted his leg to punch the spear forcefully and break it, leaving the half with the sharp tip still in the Jackal's body. Before the ogre could react, his dagger was put to use and the creature let out a strange, screeching sound before it fell limply onto the lifeless body of a Jackal.

Yuugi gawked at him in some kind of mixture of awe and admiration and then blinked when Bakura looked at him and smirked, dark eyes glinting satisfyingly.

Kaiba approached them a bit awkwardly as well, brown bangs swaying over his squinted eyes.

"Where are we going?" He yelled and the two looked at him blankly for a moment until Ishizu appeared by Kaiba's side, ignoring protest from others to stay put. The cut in her lower left leg was bleeding slowly, but she paid no attention to that.

"We have to find my brother!" She exclaimed somewhat angrily, cursing the wind mentally. Kaiba, Yuugi and Bakura exchanged somewhat neutral glances, wondering if the idea to charge right into the middle of the battle was a smart thing to do. Ishizu was silent, watching their facial expressions incredulously.

"Fine!" She retorted angrily and took a determined step forward. "But I'm going!"

With that, she made her way through the wind, stomping furiously across the sand.

"But, Ishizu!" Tea and Joey yelled in unison, watching her walking away with anxious expressions. Yuugi and Bakura stared after her as well, Yuugi biting her lower lip thoughtfully.

"We can't just let her go away like that," he exclaimed worriedly and glanced at the equally concerned expressions around him, "she'll get herself killed in no time!"

Kaiba hated being concerned about anyone else than his brother and his company, but he had to agree that the dark-haired woman had every right to risk her life to save her brother. After all – he would do the same thing for Mokuba...

"Let's go," he spoke finally and saw a faint flicker of relief on Yuugi's face. Bakura adjusted his collar and tightened his grip on the handle, narrowing his eyes in agreement.

The girls, together with Joey and Tristan watched them stepping forward wordlessly, Tea hugging her upper arms in worry. She was starting to shake and shiver, but her main worry was Bakura and Yuugi. If she lost one of them...

She hesitated briefly before she took a deep breath and leaned forward, wanting to spite the wind and walk after the three of them. Mai and Serenity grabbed her by the shoulders right away, trying to stop her, but she shook them off, looking at them determinedly.

"I'm going!" She yelled at them resolutely, "I want to help Ishizu!"

Mai and Serenity were watching her mutely, almost admiring her boldness. She was looking at them sternly and then smiled lightly when Mai chuckled helplessly and shrugged.

"Yeah," she said wearily, her voice amused and sardonic at the same time, "always the brave one."

They looked at each other, and Serenity gaped at the sudden, unspoken understanding between them, Joey and Tristan gawking oddly at them, too.

"Stick together?" Tea asked and raised her hand in the air expectantly. Mai looked at her and grinned, forgetting all about the possible death that awaited her. She slapped her palm against hers and winked mischievously.

"Always!"

Tea smiled back and not wasting another second, they turned around and started walking after the small, four figures in the near distance.

Serenity blinked and then opened her mouth to yell hurriedly after them. "Wait for me!"

"Whaaat?! Serenity, come back!" Joey screamed and started hobbling after her, Tristan having no other choice but to sigh heavily and follow.

---

Marik's body was lying peacefully on the sand, blood still seeping out of his chest slowly, making his robes soaked with crimson color. The dagger was still glistening in his chest faintly, but his eyes were no longer open wide; Shadi closed them, reciting a small prayer in his mind before standing up to glare dangerously at the equally angry Amukh.

"You will pay for this," Shadi growled and then winced when the ancient Priest swung with his hand to create a wild whirlwind around him. Shadi closed his eyes, one, still forgotten image flashing before his eyes. He gritted his teeth and balled his fists to gain control over his mind and soul once again. Amukh had crossed the line this time...

He growled furiously, summoning enough energy before he roared out loud, stretching his hands forward and making the whirlwind spread all around them.

"ENOUGH!"

The ferocity of the whirlwind made Marik's hair fly around his shoulders and his bangs sway. His robes fluttered as well, threatening to lift him off the ground, but he didn't budge.

Amukh's eyes narrowed slightly after seeing Shadi demonstrating the sudden surge of power and strength. The man with a turban was standing stiffly in front of him, breathing heavily.

Shadi pointed one of his fingers at him, blue, usually expressionless eyes burning with hatred and fury.

"That was ENOUGH, Amukh!" He spat furiously, his whole body shaking slightly. The whirlwind was still dancing around them, clearing the dusty and sandy curtain and enabling them to see Jackals and cloaked ogres in a messy, fighting chaos.

"I knew you were going to rise again some day, but I thought you would learn the lesson! I was wrong!" He was yelling, trying to keep himself from jumping at him and breaking his neck. He knew he could do that very well, but he didn't want to become a murderer like him.

"You only came back to crave for power again! To create chaos and destruction again!" He shouted vehemently, making Amukh glare at him with his head lowered. Shadi looked around him, watching the desert quaking and the sky thundering with rage.

"You caused chaos and death around! You manipulated and killed this innocent boy! YOU are a MONSTER that needs to be destroyed FOR GOOD!"

He stopped to breathe, panting heavily and glowering at the ancient Priest who was watching him wordlessly, eyes glistening dangerously in spitefulness. After a few moments in which none of them spoke, Amukh took a step forward, eyeing the Prophet mockingly.

"You were just a pathetic, lower priest and you still are," he hissed, making Shadi growl at him, the wind making his robes billow. "Who are _you_ to tell me what to do?"

He raised his hand again, summoning the dagger from Marik's chest. His body jerked a bit, making Shadi look at him with a look of utter disgust and loathing. Amukh only smirked.

"But to console you," he added, spinning the dagger in his hand playfully, "you'll die with him!"

Shadi waited for the blow to come, and gasped slightly when he felt the blade ripping through his skin and embedding into the flesh. Amukh let out a victorious chuckle, waiting for him to fall down like the sandy-haired boy.

Shadi lowered his head, taking a deep breath. He raised his hand, watching the blood soaking his robes for the second time, but this time, he didn't want to pretend.

He raised his head and looked at Amukh sharply, surprising the ancient Priest whose laugh died on his lips as his eyes widened. He grabbed the handle of the dagger and in one single motion, ripped it out, glaring at his archrival.

Still holding the dagger in his hand, he smirked at the shocked expression of his opponent. Amukh took a step back, staring at him in disbelief, emerald eyes wide in confusion.

"Impossible," he breathed, shaking his head slowly, "you...are alive!" He exclaimed, making Shadi nod with a satisfied grin. "How? TELL ME!"

Shadi enjoyed in the moment for a bit, before he spoke and made the ancient Priest gape at him. "Because I wasn't born like you again, my dear Amukh," he said in a low voice, glaring at him heatedly, "because unlike you – I am _immortal_."

The weighty silence between them was disrupted a minute later when Shadi turned around and they both looked at Ishizu who was standing stiffly behind them with her hands clasped tightly over her lips, her eyes wide with tears falling down. Yuugi was the one who called her name and came to a halt when he noticed the still body of her brother lying on the sand.

The world stopped spinning around her suddenly, she stopped breathing and the only thing she managed to choke out was one, meek 'No' before she collapsed onto the sand.

Yuugi bent down to catch her quickly and lift her up but she was limp in his arms, trembling and shaking violently with sobs.

"Marik!" She screamed out loud, making Bakura and Kaiba stop as well and look in horror at the scene in front of them.

Shadi already wanted to yell at them to run as far as possible when he saw others approaching as well, staring numbly at Ishizu and then at the unmoving body of her brother.

"Oh, no," Joey and Tristan whispered solemnly when they saw what happened and lowered their heads. Serenity and Tea were crying together, Mai's eyes filling with tears slowly, too.

"What are you doing here? Get away!" Shadi screamed at them but none of them moved an inch. They were standing stiffly amidst the conflict between the Jackals and the cloaked creatures and the battle between Shadi and Amukh.

The Priest managed to recover from the initial shock and decided to use the perfect opportunity. He let out a malevolent chuckle, and raised his hands in the air, using Shadi's lack of attention.

"Oh, no, you don't," He whispered and closed his eyes in concentration. "You are going...UP!"

When Shadi turned his head, it was already too late. He gasped, suddenly finding himself in the air, over the ruins.

"Shadi!" Others screamed from below. He tried to move but soon realized that he couldn't. He was paralyzed. He growled angrily into the air, trying to break free of his hold, but the invisible grip he had on him was too strong.

And he was so close. The dagger fell from his hand, whistling through the air until he fell down on the sand with a soft thump.

Others watched in shock and horror at the unmoving figure of the Prophet above them, until Mai shrieked suddenly and they all turned around to look at her in panic.

"Now," Amukh said in a dangerously low voice, "let's make sure you all stay HERE!"

Before anyone could react, Amukh lifted his hands in the air, summoning the defeated ogres. This time, they came back in pieces, one of the skeletal hands popping out of the sand to grab Mai for the ankles. She screamed and fell down only to meet another pair of the hands that came from behind her, pulling her back, into the sand.

"Mai!" Joey, Tristan and Serenity, who were the closest to her tried to pry the hands off, but they found themselves on the sand a second later, jerking and screaming at the skeletal limbs, dragging them away.

Tea and Ishizu who were close to the wall of the ruins, were suddenly pinned to the rocks, hands coming out from the wall to grab them. Bones caught bones, making a chain, fingers clasping around their necks.

"Tea!" Bakura and Yuugi yelled, already on their way to help them, but they were stopped dead in their tracks, when Amukh's eyes flashed and they were left to stand stiffly in the middle of the whirlwind, completely immobile. Kaiba was already pinned to the sand as well, bones tightened securely around him, pulling him into the sand slowly.

Amukh let out a malicious chuckle, leaving them to fight, growl, wiggle and jerk to no avail.

"And now," he said, eyes flashing again as he took a step forward and towards the swarm of Jackals that were already running his way. Raising his hand, he directed the whirlwind at them, sending them all flying around, over the ruins, into the battle with other cloaked creatures and over the dark sky.

"Where are my busts?"


	27. Mind Body and Soul

Disclaimer: Actually, I did own Yu-Gi-Oh in one of my dreams but then I woke up and everything was gone...

**Author's Notes**

Well...it seems like some people want Kaiba to stay alive, Tristan to drop dead, see the busts in action, Tea and Bakura kiss and...uhm...Yeah, I believe that was all. But, you'll have to read the chapter to see what happens, muaha!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially _Mystic Dragon_ - you made my day! ÷_beams_÷

I'll just shut up now and let you read.

* * *

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXVI – Mind Body and Soul**

by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The gusty whirlwind was blowing wildly around them, tousling their bangs and ruffling their clothes, but all Yuugi and Bakura could do was to growl and groan angrily, trying to make their bodies move to no avail. No matter how much they willed their muscles to work and their legs to move, they were standing still, watching helplessly with wide eyes at Tea and Ishizu gasping for air across them, fastened to the walls of the ruins by monstrous bones of Amukh's minions. 

Behind them, Kaiba was jerking and cursing out loud, trying to break free of the deadly grip the skeletal hands had on his limbs but that only seemed to drag him into the sand further. He stopped abruptly, and opened his eyes, crystal blue replaced by a deep, angry shade of indigo. He could feel the back of his head sinking lower, his hair half-covered with sand, fingers and feet concealed within the supple layer. He could only stare wrathfully at the dark sky and heavy clouds, towering over him, mixed with an occasional streak of lightening and a clapping sound of thunder.

Someone not too far from him screamed, and he recognized the voice of the auburn haired girl he was forced to run with down the streets of the city. He turned his head to the left for a few inches, spotting her, the guides and the blond journalist, trying to break loose. Then his eyes drifted upwards to see Shadi jerking violently, seemingly standing in the thin air like a puppet hanging off the invisible strings.

The Prophet was angry, his fists balled tightly by his sides, nails digging into the flesh of his palms painfully. He closed his eyes in deep concentration, trying to break free of the invisible hold Amukh had on him, but he knew very well that the ancient Priest was more powerful than he was; there was no point in denying that. And that was why Amukh was strolling nonchalantly down the sand covered path, making everything go sky-high around him, while he was hanging beneath the thundering sky, shaking with rage.

He took a deep breath, reprimanding himself for the lack of attention in that crucial moment, before he opened his eyes again. Looking down, his eyes widened when he spotted the guides, the two girls and the reincarnation of the Second Soul sinking slowly into the sand, the other two reincarnations struggling to move in vain a few feet away and Ishizu and Tea, pinned against the cold wall of the ruins, their faces turning red from the pressure around their necks. Shadi swallowed hard and urged his mind to work.

He glanced to the left, noticing Amukh walking effortlessly over the sand, sending the Jackals and even his own hooded creatures flying without a second glance. He gasped softly, spotting the retreating figure of the Jackal behind all that mess; the busts were still in his possession but Shadi knew that wouldn't last for long once Amukh found him.

He willed his eyes to close and his mind to concentrate. It took him a few moments to get used to the darkness in front of his eyes and to block the distracting sounds out of his ears. Taking deep, calm breaths, he forced his mind to slip into a meditative state and the darkness around him started to diminish slowly, replaced by a warm, white light, engulfing him securely.

Tentatively, he opened his eyes and looked around, the sky, the desert and the ruins below him looking different. He glanced at himself, noticing Amukh's mental, wormlike strings, tightened around him firmly, pulsating with a green color, moving and snaking around him vindictively. Gazing beneath, he could see the same thing happening to Bakura and Yuugi while others were jerking and trashing wildly – their auras were convulsing dangerously, colors fading away slowly. Shadi closed his eyes quickly in order to keep his spirit and his mind on the spiritual level. He didn't have much strength left; he had the use what remained of it wisely.

Concentrating on the strings around him, he forced his own aura to fight, white cloud of mist trapped beneath the poison green.

Distinctly, he could feel the leather handle of Marik's dagger in his hands, but the material could do nothing against spiritual. Gritting his teeth, he let out a growl, forcing his mind to go beyond his own boundaries. He had to hurry, there was almost no time left. If he could only find the weakest link in the jumble of strings and bonds...

Mai gulped, amethyst eyes wide in horror and fright. She had spent the last five minutes in screaming, cursing and pleading, but the skeletal hands kept on pulling her in hungrily. Left to her, Serenity was sobbing hysterically, making Joey growl and roar in anger and helplessness. He was only few feet away from his own sister, and he couldn't even budge. Tristan stopped struggling minutes ago, and was now only staring dully at the ominous sky, thinking of all the things he had done in his short life.

Bakura and Yuugi were still standing in the same spot, their muscles taut and sore. They wanted to collapse down, but they couldn't even do that – the strings were making it impossible. They could only stare powerlessly at Tea and Ishizu who were now coughing on the other side, their strength disappearing slowly. Ishizu managed to throw one last, tortured glance at Yuugi before she collapsed, her head falling and dark tresses pooling around her shoulders.

"Ishizu!" Yuugi screamed desperately, watching in horror how Tea's fists unclenched slowly and her body fell limply against the wall. Yuugi's eyes widened drastically.

"TEA!" He screamed in terror, Bakura's teeth gritted to the point where his gums hurt. He lowered his head, his whole body shaking, not being able to watch the only girl he really cared for dying away slowly. Not too far away from him, a body of his best friend was lying on the sand, as well. He wanted to howl.

Yuugi started to struggle again, jerking wildly, hoarse yells and cries mingled with sobs and tears falling down his cheeks. "Ishizu! Tea!"

÷

The swarm of Jackals and cloaked ogres was dissipating slowly, numerous bodies, cloaks and spears lying around, still and useless. A small portion of the Jackals was still capable of fighting the cloaked creatures; some of them running away, letting out shrill and ear piercing screams and some of them staggering around aimlessly through the sea of bodies. The Jackal with the busts took a step back each time he saw the Priest taking one forward. Amukh was grinning maliciously, satisfaction and triumph evident on every inch of his face. Emerald eyes were glistening with evil glee and drive; finally, he was just a few steps away from the desired victory.

One of the Jackals appeared in front of him quickly, ready to defend the busts, but he swept him away with one, single motion of his hand. It didn't matter how many of them came to stop him; nothing and no one would have the power to do that soon. Glancing back at the helpless figures of his victims, he chuckled in amusement, spotting Shadi, still hanging in the air and struggling against his mental barrier without success.

The Jackal swallowed and looked behind – nothing but pyramids and hills of sand greeting him in the distance and the ancient Priest was getting closer to him, deliberately toying with him and taking slow, purposeful steps. The creature looked at the busts abruptly when it thought something underneath pulsated but the busts were motionless in his embrace, rocking slightly against each other.

"Where are you going to go?" Amukh spoke in a sugary voice, sounding like he was talking to a small child of three years. The Jackal gulped inaudibly, tightening his hold on the busts. An order was given to him and he had to obey the Prophet, his ruler and the ancient Gods. Amukh stopped finally when the Jackal reached the end of the even ground, the only thing behind him being a high mountain of sand. The Jackal stopped as well, turning around to see the rising dune and red eyes widened with dread.

Amukh raised his hand slowly, summoning enough energy to make the creature let go of the busts. It let out a painful roar when emerald eyes flashed with something evil and merciless. It let the statues fall to the sand without thinking, raising its hands to clutch its head. The pain was excruciating. Amukh's voice was calm and leveled when he spoke, watching the Jackal toss and jerk over the sand with a bored expression.

"Now it's over." He whispered and with a final motion of his fingers, summoned the busts to his hands.

÷

"Tea..." Yuugi whispered croakily, now slightly bent from exertion to reach his childhood friend. Every single bone in his body ached and he finally gave in, realizing he couldn't do anything to help her, to help Ishizu, anyone. Bakura's eyes were shut tightly, his body trembling violently between the gasps for air. He wasn't sure himself what he was doing anymore so he settled for an odd mixture of anger, misery, crying and growling. The two figures pinned against the wall of the ruins were still and silent, hanging from the rocks like abandoned marionettes.

Joey and Serenity wanted to scream when their eyes suddenly filled with sand, the precious view at the sky obscured but they had to close their mouths when the sharp specks of sand threatened to choke them as well. Joey managed to call his sister's name just a second before he vanished completely underneath the sand, the skeletal hands disappearing together with him. Serenity only had a brief moment to see Mai's dead gaze looking at the sky before she sunk easily into the sandy grave and she couldn't even hear Tristan who went down silently as well. She did scream when one of the bones clamped over her mouth but her scream came out muffled. Within two seconds, she was underneath, together with the bones that held her body till the end.

Kaiba glanced to the side, suddenly hearing nothing – no screams, no curses, no protests, no pleas...just a deafening sound of a storm approaching and an occasional sob coming from someone in front of him he wasn't even entirely sure he wasn't just imagining.

An image of Mokuba came to his mind suddenly and he smiled a small smile, wondering for a brief moment if his little brother was all right...if he would manage after he was gone. His eyes closed and something stirred deep inside of him, making his heart clench.

"Mokuba..."

Yuugi was about to close his eyes and pretend how everything around him was just a bad, bad dream when a loud thump was heard, making Bakura open his eyes as well and glance to the right.

The two boys blinked oddly at Shadi who was lying on the sand, panting heavily and holding his robes tightly that were smeared with blood from Amukh's previous deed. He was breathing laboriously, gasping in large breaths for air after finally succeeding in breaking the ancient Priest's hold. He looked around him and stopped breathing for a moment. The guides, the blond journalist and the younger girl were gone; the two girls that were still fastened to the wall of the ruins were immobile and seemingly dead. Marik was still lying in his spot calmly; only the reincarnations of the Three Souls remained, although Kaiba was also on the verge of disappearing completely into the sand.

Shadi looked at his almost lost expression and quickly got up, limping all the way to Bakura who was the closest to him. Taking a deep breath, he put his hands in front of the white haired boy, not touching him, but feeling the restraints around him. Bakura looked at him strangely, thinking how the man had lost his mind and decided to pester him in the last moments of his life instead of just letting him die in peace. He gazed at the limp body of the brown haired girl and at the peaceful look on Marik's face, lowering his head slowly. He already lost what was most important to him...

Yuugi was staring at the Prophet, somewhat disturbed by his actions as well. But when Bakura's knees suddenly gave way and he plopped down onto the sand with a thud, he gasped. The thief gasped, too but from the pain when his body fell down and then sighed in relief when he could finally move with his arms and legs again. Shadi's face was ghostly white, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead under the large turban, stinging and burning in his eyes but he had enough energy left to release Yuugi. After all, he needed them now more than anyone.

He approached the bewildered boy who was still looking at the thief in disbelief. Bakura cracked the bones in his neck, then cracked his knuckles and then almost stumbled back when Shadi shoved the dagger into his hands.

"Help him!" He exclaimed breathlessly, pointing at the CEO whose face was now barely visible under the sand. Bakura gaped at the sight but managed to collect himself quickly enough to swing with his dagger and swat the skeletal hands away.

"How did you do that?" Yuugi asked him, perplexed by the sudden change of the situation, although Shadi could still hear the weariness in his voice.

He was quiet for a while, concentrating solely on the strings around him, before he pressed onto the right one and Yuugi let out a yelp, suddenly finding himself falling downwards. Shadi caught him quickly but fell down himself, the last bit of his spiritual energy spent. His eyes glazed over when he saw Yuugi's worried expression mingling with bright white and opened his mouth to whisper two last coherent words.

"Stop...him."

With that, his eyes rolled back and closed, leaving Yuugi to shake him vigorously.

"Shadi!"

"Hey!" Bakura exclaimed and not remembering his name, added, "You, spiky boy!" from behind and Yuugi turned around to look at the thief and at the half-pulled Kaiba out of the sand. "Some help here?"

Yuugi got up quickly and then instantly fell down on his knees, the muscles in his legs still not quite used to moving around freely.

"Argh!" He groaned and got up with a determined expression, glancing at Tea and Ishizu for only a second. The bony hands around their necks were gone but they were still holding them possessively against the wall. He turned around when Bakura whistled to him and grabbed Kaiba by the shins.

Together, they pulled him out, Bakura lifting him up in a sitting position and Yuugi waving with his hand in front of his face. He was mumbling something incoherent and Yuugi thought he heard his brother's name somewhere in between but he concentrated on trying to bring him back to life.

"Kaiba!" He yelled, shaking him gently. The CEO kept on staring through him with glassy eyes and Yuugi let out an exasperated sigh.

"Let me," Bakura said, leaning over him from behind to take a good look. A moment later, he slapped him sharply across the face, making Kaiba blink and look up. Yuugi was left to ogle at the thief in astonishment for the second time that day.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba asked, mistaking a mop of long, messy hair for his brother's. Bakura glared at him.

"No."

Yuugi got up, looking at a devastated desert and bodies lying scattered around. Then he looked down to search for Mai and the others, but they were hidden beneath the thick layer of sand. Yuugi flopped down and without a second thought, started digging through the sand, making it fly around him wildly. Bakura got up and ran off to the ruins, swinging with the dagger, careful not to hurt Tea in the process.

"Come on," Yuugi choked out, creating a small gap in the sand, but there was no trace of Mai, Joey, Tristan or Serenity. Kaiba glanced at his own hands and turned around to pick a spot to start digging at. He wondered if any one of them was still alive.

Bakura laid both girls down onto the sand carefully next to Marik, checking for their pulses. He let his fingers slide and press down Tea's neck and wrist numerous times, trying, _wanting_ to feel anything at all, but her heart was mute as well as Ishizu's.

His fists clenched again and he let out a low growl, making Yuugi turn around. Next to him, Shadi was lying peacefully as well and he stopped, realizing he threw some sand over him.

Glancing at each other, Kaiba and Yuugi sighed, hands and legs tired, eyes lost and empty. Bakura lifted the lifeless body of the girl in his arms, rocking her with him back and forth. Kaiba stared helplessly at the hole he made with his hands, gazing at the sand miserably. Yuugi stood up with a painful grimace, looking at the Prophet numbly.

"We need to..." He stopped when his voice cracked and tried again. "We need to stop him."

Kaiba looked at him while Bakura's eyes remained on the girl in his arms. Tears were leaving light traces over his tanned and dirty face.

"Stop him?" He repeated in a low voice. "Stop him? Stop him _why_?" The last three words were yelled out. Bakura lowered Tea down onto the sand again and stood up, facing them. Kaiba diverted his eyes from his tear stricken face.

"Stop him HOW?" He roared and Yuugi flinched. "He _killed_ her! He killed them all!"

Yuugi lowered his head and stared at his feet dully. He had a point – the busts were probably in Amukh's possession, his friends were dead and they were barely standing on their feet.

"So, there you are," a low voice coaxed from the near distance and the three of them looked at the ancient Priest, standing in front of them proudly with the busts resting neatly in his hands. Bakura's eyes flashed and he took one leap forward before he was stopped by him, those invisible strings enabling him to move again.

"Bakura!" Yuugi shouted, already moving to help him but was stopped in his attempts when he realized he couldn't move as well. "No..." he growled, "not again!"

Amukh let out a malevolent chuckle, forcing Kaiba to stand up with a snarl of protest and placed him right next to Yuugi like a doll in some shop window.

"You will pay for this!" Bakura roared, able only to threat him verbally, the handle of the dagger embedding into his palm. Yuugi's eyes were narrowed, once clear amethyst now a dark shade of purple. Kaiba was seemingly calm but that was just a poker face he kept for him to see.

Amukh glanced at Shadi who still lying serenely on the sand and with a motion of his hand, send him flying away effortlessly. There was a thumping sound which indicated that Shadi landed somewhere behind them. Yuugi and Bakura lowered their heads, grinding their teeth harder. Kaiba glared at him underneath brown, tousled bangs.

When Amukh spotted the two girls and a sandy haired boy, lying peacefully on the sand, he smiled evilly, making Yuugi and Bakura's eyes widen.

"We can't have them in our way, can we now?" He said, raising his hand in the air and making a swirl of emotions rise inside of the three of them.

Kaiba growled, something inside of him threatening to explode. Misery, helplessness, anger.

One of the busts in Amukh's hand trembled, a faint blue light emitting from it.

"No!" Yuugi screamed, a sudden wave of something powerful washing over him. Despair, fury, loss.

The second one moved visibly, making the ancient Priest look down to see the one that moved shining with a golden light.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Bakura roared in sheer rage and the combination of everything the other two felt, making the third bust flash with a bright, red light that burned Amukh's fingers and made him drop them.

Instead of falling down to the sand, they floated in the air for a moment, before leaping to hover over the heads of the three figures in front of him.

"What?" The ancient Priest spat, closing his eyes to block out the sudden onslaught of light and opening them a moment later to see the three of them, standing calmly in front of him, the restricting strings gone and his mental barrier broken like a bubble of soap. The bright colors of blue, golden and red were the ones dancing around them furiously, making them look like they were standing amidst colorful flames.

Amukh looked up rapidly, feeling the wind blow more sharply, to the point of carrying all the bodies of the Jackals and cloaked creatures up. The clouds were spinning over the sky, mixed with the lightening, creating a whirlwind of gray, black and blue.

Shadi cracked one eye open, something inside of him stirring as if trying to tell him to wake up. He glanced at the chaos around him and already thought it was all over when he spotted three beams of glorious light, growing, rising, swirling up in a magnificent spiral where they pierced through the clouds and opened the sky. Shadi smiled then let out a yelp when he touched a sore spot on his forehead. He spotted the swooshing robes of Ishizu's and got up as fast as he could to reach her.

He managed to drag the three of them behind the wall of the ruins, glancing up to see the light taking forms.

"Just like then," he whispered. "They did it."

Yuugi, Bakura and Kaiba were still standing in their spots calmly, the busts now almost sitting on their heads. Their eyes were closed, their hands raised high above their heads, their lips parted and their minds, souls and bodies joined in one, colorful beam of light that dispersed high in the sky and divided into three brilliant figures – the falcon headed God Horus, the Jackal headed God Anubis and the crowned God of Underworld, Osiris.

Shadi waved at them happily, not paying attention to a petrified look on Amukh's face who shuddered again after so many years at the mention of his name that came out as a thundering voice of three, united in one.

"AMUKH."


	28. The Final Verdict

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Except the bad guy of this story...but who wants him anyway?

**Author's Notes**

Ahem...Yes – I killed more than half of the YGO crew in one single chapter! ÷_gasps_÷

But, not to worry, _Amby-chan_, it's not permanent. How I plan to revive them? Heh, you'll see...Oh, by the way – did you know that you're only five days older than I am?

Oh, and to answer _Reenas' _question – I have no idea why people don't like Tristan...I'm guessing it's because of the hairdo? I don't know...

I'd like to thank everyone else for reviewing; it really means a lot more than you think.

* * *

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXVII – The Final Verdict**

by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

Shadi was crouching next to the large rock of the Ruins of the Doomed, watching the sky with a mixture of awe and relief in his eyes. He allowed himself a small smile and then blinked at two loose strands of white that were swaying to and fro in front of his eyes. He raised his hands, lifting the strands up to tangle them back into the turban, wiping away all the dust and dirt that got stuck on his face after that. He winced slightly when he touched the sore bump on the back of his head, wondering briefly how he even got it, but dismissed that thought when he saw the ancient Priest, staring wide-eyed at the sky and cowering back in fright.

Shadi's lips lifted into a barely visible smirk when he stood up and dusting his robes in the process, glanced at the three, magnificent figures on the sky and then at the three reincarnations of the Souls.

Yuugi, Bakura and Kaiba were still in the same spot and the same position but their bodies were now floating slightly over the sand, making the specks fly and swirl under their feet. Shaid couldn't tell what they were feeling; but he could imagine judging by the looks on their faces. After all, when he first encountered the Gods and connected with them, he fainted from the surge of sheer power that swept through his body. The three of them, however, were a completely different story; they were the reincarnations of the ones who had the strength and power to channel the divine energy through their bodies.

But Shadi's eyes saddened slightly when he remembered what happened afterwards, when Amukh and his army were defeated and the desert quieted down after the chaos that took too many lives with it...

He looked up, watching the colorful rainbow swirling, mixing and playing over the sky like someone spilled several buckets of paint, using the sky as the background to create a piece of abstract art. But, if history really repeated itself, like he had been taught...would the same destiny await them again?

He took a deep breath, angst and anxiety washing over him now when he looked at the sandy-haired Egyptian, the brown-haired girl and the young woman, known to him as the _Instigator_ from his visions, lying peacefully on the ground. A few bones in his back cracked when he straightened up, glancing at Amukh who was backing away slowly from the three figures on the sky.

Emerald orbs were mere dots now, shimmering unsteadily in fright. He glanced at the Gods, lining up slowly above him and then at Kaiba, Yuugi and Bakura who had their eyes closed and arms raised up towards the sky, hands encircling the busts that were floating above their heads, rotating slowly.

When their lips parted, the light around the busts increased, blinding the ancient Priest and Shadi who closed his eyes, knowing very well what followed next.

The busts stopped spinning, the light entering their bodies, those small, lost fragments of their souls finally merging together and their eyes opened wide, the colorful flames around them intensifying. Amukh lowered his hand slowly to squint at the scene in front of him, a rush of fear and panic sweeping through him suddenly. He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth – this had happened before and he hissed and trembled with barely suppressed fury - he was _so _close to achieving his goal; his visions of the perfect future under his reign were almost touchable just a few minutes ago...He growled, eyes flashing dangerously at Kaiba, Yuugi and Bakura who were looking at him calmly, the bright light still dancing around them magnificently.

"Amukh," they spoke, their voices strangely deep and mixed together, creating a frightening tremor echoing around them. The light from the busts started to diminish slowly after a while and when the last pieces of their souls were absorbed, the busts cracked and fell apart, little clay pieces disappearing amidst the gusts of wind and sand that were still flying and swirling around them.

Yuugi was the first to look up, amethyst eyes looking at the falcon-headed god Horus. The divine creature blinked, making Yuugi do the same and pointed his finger at Amukh who lowered his head and glared at the spiky-haired boy. For some reason, he couldn't look at the ancient God; his insides were turning and twisting at the sheer thought of looking him in the eyes.

"We have warned you," echoed through the sky and over the desert, Yuugi's lips moving as well in perfect synchronization with the God's. "But, it was a mistake to grant you another chance, Amukh."

Kaiba's lips opened after that, blue eyes staring at him sharply. Amukh looked up slightly to squint at the figure to the left and recognized it as Osiris, the one who granted him the chance for another lifecycle. His eyes narrowed, fury building into something akin to dread and anxiety. Not too far away from him, Shadi lowered his head and stared at the sand thoughtfully, realizing that even Gods made mistakes. He just wished they hadn't made one with the ancient Priest.

"Look around you, Amukh," Kaiba whispered in a low, accusing voice, voicing out the thoughts of Osiris. Amukh lowered his head, glancing askance at the remains of the battle, his cloaked minions and the leftovers of the Jackals, lying scattered around together with numerous spears. "Look what you have done again."

"This time," Yuugi added, the falcon-headed God opening his beak, eyes flashing slightly above them, "We shall not forgive you."

"We shouldn't have done that in the first place," Bakura finally spoke, white tresses billowing behind him, the jackal-headed God speaking for the first time, red eyes flashing dangerously at him then at the remains of his army. Bakura's eyes narrowed when Anubis' narrowed as well, seeing just what kind of damage his loyal guardians have suffered. Bakura's eyes closed then opened a moment later to glare at him ominously. Amukh swallowed, looking around frantically, trying to find a way to escape and perhaps, still finish what he originally wanted to do. Anubis growled, making Bakura growl and clench his fist. Kaiba and Yuugi were merely observing him with sharp, keen eyes, not saying a word.

"Amukh," Bakura snarled at the Priest who glanced at the white-haired thief in fright when he spoke his name in a dangerously low voice. Anubis raised his arm, his palm outstretched, a powerful whirlwind sweeping over the desert, catching and raising spears in the air. With one swift motion of his hand the lances slashed through the air, whistling sharply, and Amukh gasped, jumping backwards just in time to avoid the sharp tips splitting him in half. The spears landed a few feet away from him, sinking in the sand and swaying slightly from the impact and the powerful thrust they were sent down with. Amukh's eyes widened drastically, realizing what the action meant. He took a step back, his hands shaking slightly. Looking up, he met Anubis' penetrating gaze and sharp, white fangs glistening at him. He had managed to awaken the God's wrath again.

"Your time has come. Now." Anubis finished and turned his head slowly to look at the other two who simply nodded, their facial expressions serious and grim.

"You shall be punished Amukh," Osiris spoke through Kaiba, his own voice mixed with the deep, profound voice of the God of the Underworld. "Your soul will never be granted entrance to the Underworld, your body will never walk the earth again and you will spend the eternity wandering around and never finding your peace."

Amukh stared at the God, completely immobile and stiff, his shoulders tense and his jaw set firmly. He fell to the sand the next moment, knees hitting and sinking into the soft layer, staring blankly at the three reincarnations that were looking at him calmly, sentencing him to the worst punishment one could ever get – to never find peace in afterlife.

"No, I..." he croaked, voice cracking slightly. He looked up again, mixed emotions of fear, dread and despair playing across his face. "I swear, I shall never-"

"You have sworn to live in peace once, Amukh," Yuugi said suddenly, Horus' eyes flashing in a reprimanding manner at him and cutting him off. He opened his mouth to say that he was sorry but Osiris shook his head, Kaiba's brows furrowing angrily.

"You are _not_ sorry, Amukh! You haven't learned anything from your mistakes; your punishment is irreversible." He ventured, turning his head to look at Yuugi, Osiris glancing at Horus. Anubis stared gravely ahead, red eyes glaring at him silently.

"But, but I-I shall, I shall not disappoint you again, I-"

"SILENCE!" Chorused across the desert, making Amukh shut his mouth with a _clap_ and Shadi flinch slightly. He thought Amukh knew better than to challenge Gods and put their words in question.

Amukh took a deep breath, staring indifferently at the three figures then at the spears rooted into the sand in front of him, almost creating a fence between him and the three of them.

"Your punishment will be executed now, Amukh," the Gods and the three young men spoke in unison, "do you have any last words?"

Silence followed in which Amukh glared at the sand beneath his feet, emerald eyes narrowing and lips twisting into a sickening smile. He half-raised his head, glowering at Kaiba, Yuugi and Bakura, hating the way the lights still played and swirled around them magnificently, the condemning, appalled looks they were giving him. He let out a chuckle, maniacally cackling under his breath, making Shadi look at him warily.

"Last words to say?" Amukh echoed the question, raising his head fully to look at the Gods, traces of fear and despair suddenly replaced by mockery, something wild and animalistic glistening in his eyes. He chuckled again, Shadi's eyes widening slowly when he realized that he was up to something.

"How about..." He whispered menacingly, taking a slow step forward and eyeing the spears zealously, a malevolent smirk playing on his lips. "You all DIE!"

"No!" Shadi screamed when Amukh grabbed and yanked the spears out of the sand, making his way towards Kaiba and Yuugi who were simply standing in front of him, unmoving and unfazed. With a maniacal laugh, he pointed the spears at the two, running towards them madly and making the sand flipping and flying behind him. He would kill them, he would stab them and destroy them and make sure they never rise again if he can't have what he wanted! He would make them scream and suffer and squirm in pain!

He let out a yell and leapt forward, determined to plunge the spears into them.

Shadi looked at the Gods, noticing the slightly alarmed and perplexed look on their faces, but when they raised their arms in the air, Kaiba, Yuugi and Bakura following the example, Amukh stopped dead in his tracks, the light in the sky increasing, washing over the desert and blinding him completely.

He let out a piercing scream, dropping the spears only a few feet away from Yuugi and Kaiba, raising his hands to stop the familiar wave from tearing him apart. He tried to block the upcoming light with a mental shield but he could only scream blindly into the light, feeling the pure energy washing over him like a tidal wave, burning his skin and tearing his flesh, his soul disintegrating and shattering into oblivion.

Shadi hid behind the rock of the ruins, covering his ears and closing his eyes shut tightly, shaking and trembling together with the desert, blue of the sky completely obscured by bright white, chasing the remaining clouds away and lifting up a giant sandstorm that covered the bodies of the cloaked ogres. Cloaks disappeared beneath the sand, the Jackals and the tips of their spears also vanishing beneath the raging wave of sand, the monstrous dune wiping and swallowing everything that dared to stand before it.

Shadi let out a yelp when he felt something solid and heavy slide by him. He opened his eyes, seeing Marik slither down the rocky ground and quickly outstretched his hand to catch the brim of his shirt. He pulled him back, grabbing Ishizu by the hand and leaning slightly over Tea's body to save them from flying away together with everything else. The wind rustled their hair and threatened to rip his turban away, as well, forcing Shadi to close his eyes and recite a small prayer in his mind to the Gods to be merciful and, if possible, spare a few lives in the process. A few seconds later, the wind stopped blowing, the light dispersed abruptly and the storming mound of sand dropped down flaccidly, covering the last piece of evidence that remained of the battle.

A clapping sound tore through the sky, followed by one, last, tremendous tremor and then the quake stopped suddenly, leaving only dead silence behind.

After a few minutes spent in a somewhat uncomfortable position, Shadi dared to open his eyes, peeking first to the right and to the left to see if Ishizu and Marik were still there. He let go of them a moment later, his fingers aching from holding them so tightly. He glanced at Tea, who was still lying peacefully beneath him and then sighed heavily, looking up to see the blue sky. Slowly, he stood up; dusting himself off and then took a few wobbly steps forward to peek behind the wall of the ruin.

Osiris, Horus and Anubis were still illuminating the sky, looking at him calmly. Shadi's mouth fell when he saw the new arrangement of the desert, now with more mounds and hills than ever. He only hoped they didn't let the dune cover up the pyramids; that would definitely ruin the Egyptian tourism.

He was about to look at the three young men when the Gods spoke and gained his attention again.

"Shadi," they spoke and he could hear them in his head clearly, realizing that that meant that they had stopped using the reincarnations to speak through.

Shadi squinted at them, the light still blinding him a bit. "Yes?"

"Thank you. You have completed your mission well."

Shadi blinked and nodded slowly, feeling odd emotions surge through him. When he gazed at Kaiba who was the tallest and the most visible in the cloud of dust that still rolled around, he took a deep breath. Horus and Anubis craned their necks slightly, Osiris looking at him questioningly.

"I...I know you are about to leave, but...I...well...uh...y-you see..." He was spluttering, not really knowing how and if he should dare to ask a God for a favor. A small smile appeared on Osiris' face as he looked at his companions. Shadi blinked in confusion when Anubis made a small movement of his hand and then almost yelped, seeing him pulling something out of the sand.

He took a few steps back, avoiding the falling sand. Four figures appeared in front of him and although they were partially covered with sand, Shadi still recognized Mai's blond locks and the hem of Joey's shirt. He could even see Tristan's and Serenity's face, slightly dusty and dirty. His heart skipped a beat when Osiris closed his eyes and opened them a moment later, looking at Horus who bent down slightly to put a glowing hand over the ruins. A flash of golden light appeared, and Shadi let out a gasp when he saw Joey's body jerk, Mai and Serenity flinch slightly and Tristan opening his mouth to breathe.

He turned around briskly to see Marik opening his eyes, blinking in confusion at the strange source of light above him. A few feet away from him, Ishizu and Tea breathed in, gasping for air quickly.

A huge grin lit up Shadi's face and he dropped down on his knees and his hands, resting his forehead over the sand.

"Thank you," he whispered, smiling happily at the glistening specks of sand right under his face. "Thank you."

He felt the warm light disappear and looked up to see the Gods fading away slowly, leaving only traces of blue, golden and red behind, creating a beautiful rainbow over the desert. When he looked at the three reincarnations of the Souls, he gasped and wanted to stop them from leaving, wanting to know just one more thing, but the light disappeared around them, too, leaving them to float limply over the sand before they fell down with a thud.

"The Souls!" Shadi exclaimed, panic evident in his voice. He wanted to dash up to them to see if they were alive, when somebody's hand on his shoulder stopped him and he turned around, coming face to face with a confused looking group of people who were staring at him blankly.

Marik popped up behind the wall of the ruins, together with Tea and Ishizu who were frantically searching for any signs of skeletal hands around their necks.

"Uh, Shadi?" Tristan spoke after a long minute of silence. "What just happened here?"

Marik approached him, inspecting a bloody dagger in his hands and his bloodstained robes. He blinked and then looked at Shadi dully, violet eyes clouded with confusion and disbelief.

"I'm...alive?"


	29. No rest for the soul

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

**Author's Notes:**

This was originally supposed to be the last chapter, but after numerous revises and alterations, it came out too long to be posted as a single chapter. Therefore, I divided it in two parts, the last one being the epilogue. You'll find credits there, as well as, probably, the longest _author notes_ I've ever written.

* * *

**The Legend of the Three Souls**

**Chapter XXVIII – No rest for the soul**

by Alena S. Anigor

* * *

The sun peeked through one of the large, puffy clouds on the sky that was slowly rolling towards the desert, its shadow casting and shimmering over the sand and over the Ruins of the Doomed. A light breeze wafted by, carrying tiny specks across the numerous dunes, the warmth spilling slowly over the scenery. The only thing that was ruining the perfect morning in the desert was a group of people, standing in front of the said ruins and staring blankly at the man with a turban on his head, waiting in anticipation for him to say something.

Shadi took a deep breath, suddenly faced by numerous questions and demands, panicky glances and flabbergasted gapes. He looked at Joey and Tristan who were gawking at him, completely confused and puzzled and still covered with a thin layer of sand. Serenity was clinging onto her brother's arm, looking around carefully as if waiting for another cloaked ogre to appear in front of them and strangle them to death. Mai was in the middle of shaking the remains of dust off her hair when Tea, Ishizu and Marik approached her and her eyes widened when she saw the brown-haired girl, quickly pulling her into a tight hug with a squeal.

Tea winced slightly, resisting the urge to push her away; she could still feel the possessive, skeletal fingers around her neck and Mai's hug only brought back the unpleasant memory. Ishizu stopped and glanced at her brother in worry, noticing his bloodstained shirt and the dagger in his hands, glistening slightly on the sun and currently covered with half dried blood. She put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly, smiling softly at him and then looked around the desert apprehensively. Marik raised his eyebrows at Shadi's weary expression and then craned his neck a bit to see whose leg was sticking out of the sand behind him. He frowned, making Ishizu glance in the direction he was looking at.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, clasping a hand over her lips, drawing attention from Tea and Mai who let go of her as soon as the brown-haired girl gasped and dashed forward, ignoring Shadi's yelp of protest when she almost rammed into him.

"Bakura!" She exclaimed worriedly, storming past the Prophet to plop down onto the sand and next to the white-haired thief who was still lying peacefully on the ground, his eyes closed and his lips parted slightly. Tears sprung out of her eyes when she looked at the equally motionless Yuugi, lying right next to him, Kaiba lying a few feet away from them, seemingly asleep.

She turned around to look at Shadi whose eyes were glassy for a moment until he snapped out of his stupor when she threw a look full of despair and anguish at him.

"Shadi...what..." She croaked, looking back at them, clasping a hand over her mouth, using other one to shake the reincarnation of the Third Soul gently. "Bakura..." she whispered and shook him harder. "Bakura! Yuugi!"

Mai closed her eyes and then opened them a moment later to reveal a somewhat stunned flicker in them, staring at the unmoving body of her friend. When she looked at Shadi questioningly, expecting him to say that everything was all right and saw the crushed look on his face, she lowered her head, staring at the sand numbly, her body beginning to tremble slightly. Serenity grabbed Joey by the arm harder who was watching the scene with wide eyes, Tristan and Marik gazing at the girl and the three young men solemnly. Ishizu was the first to recover, taking a hesitant step forward and glancing at Shadi inquiringly.

"In the legend," she started, her voice shaking a bit and she had to take a deep breath to steady herself. "In the legend...the three of them...they died after-"

"No!" Tea screamed, standing up to cast a broken look at the young woman. "No, please...no." She turned around, falling back onto the sand limply again, Ishizu swallowing hard and lowering her head to stare at the sand grimly, biting her lower lip.

"They are...Oh, no..." Serenity murmured, still clutching the material of Joey's dusty shirt. They all reverted their gazes from a sobbing Tea, kneeling stiffly in front of them and shaking with uncontrollable sobs. Mai took a deep breath, her eyes filling with tears slowly and she sniffled once, trying to wipe the moist away, but tears were falling freely down her cheeks when she hugged herself tightly, golden locks pooling around and over her shoulders. She took a step forward, glancing at Yuugi and then knelt down next to Tea slowly.

"Shadi," Tristan spoke and the tanned man turned his head to look at one of the guides dejectedly, his face suddenly appearing so old and weary. "How come we're...and they're not...I, I don't understand..." He ventured, glancing at Tea who was now hugged and rocked by Mai, both of them crying and kneeling on the sand. Shadi shook his head, unable to think or speak, his mind completely void of any coherent thoughts. He had hoped the Gods had let them live, but his hopes shattered, seeing them lying so serenely on the sand as if they were just taking a long nap after a hard night.

Serenity let go of Joey who was staring numbly at Yuugi, feeling a strange pang around his heart, his fists shaking slightly. He liked the spiky-haired boy. He even wished he could see Bakura and Kaiba stand up, even though the thief had hurt Rashid and Kaiba was just plainly annoying him. Marik blinked, feeling the blade of his dagger heating up slowly under the sun and then glanced at Ishizu who knelt down next to Serenity, both of them trying to console the crying girls.

"The Gods...they brought you back to life again," Shadi found himself speaking suddenly, the words simply leaving his mouth automatically, his voice unusually cool and hollow. He lowered his head to stare at his own feet, an indescribable mixture of emotions surging through him. He couldn't even define the majority of emotions inside of him; everything swirled – from anger, anguish and despair to hurt, disappointment and grief. He wished he could simply sink into the sand and disappear. He felt like he had betrayed them.

Ishizu wiped away a single tear from her face, taking a deep breath to stay more or less composed. Her hand was resting on Tea's shoulder, shaking and quivering ever so slightly when the girl took another heartbreaking sob. She looked down to glance at Bakura's face, white tresses spilled around his shoulder, bangs resting on his forehead. Her gaze traveled to look at Yuugi, noticing the boy's serene expression.

What was she supposed to say to Solomon? She knew he was everything he had and without the young man...She looked at Kaiba and gazed at his scratched hands, fingers grasping sand lightly and then almost stopped breathing when she saw one of his fingers jerk slightly. She straightened up immediately, looking at Tea, Mai and Serenity to see if they had noticed the same thing, but they were still busy crying and hiding their faces behind their hands to see anything.

She looked at a devastated looking Shadi and at the boys, talking quietly among themselves, wearing the same, sad and miserable expressions. When she looked at Kaiba again, her heart skipped a beat when she saw his fingers moving again, now sinking into the sand and grabbing for something.

Her breath got stuck in her throat and she already considered the thought to rub her eyes, afraid she wasn't, perhaps, imagining things but when Kaiba's head lolled slightly to the left, brows furrowing and creating creases between the bridge of his nose, she got up abruptly with a gasp.

"He's moving! He's...he's moving!"

Serenity raised her head quickly and looked at her in surprise. Joey and Tristan turned briskly at her exclamation, Shadi's eyes widening with hope, Marik tilting his head a bit to see over Shadi's turban. The Prophet stepped forward quickly, looking at the three figures on the ground.

"W-what?" Tea and Mai asked in unison, their voices shaking; eyes puffy and red from crying.

"Who?" Joey and Tristan leaned forward as well to see for themselves. Ishizu pointed at Kaiba, staring at his face in astonishment.

"He...K-Kaiba...he-he moved a mome-"

The group gathered around her gasped suddenly, cutting her off when Kaiba let out a groan, lifting his arm slowly to rest his hand over his forehead. Silence seemed to stretch on, becoming almost touchable until Tea let out a yelp, feeling Bakura's hand on her knees, grasping for something.

"Bakura!" She exclaimed, leaning down in an instant to tower over him worriedly, watching him squirm and open a pair of bleary eyes. "You're alive! You're alive!"

The thief howled in pain when she hugged him tightly without a second thought, crying into his shoulder out of happiness this time.

"Hey, that means that Yuugi is alive as well!" Joey exclaimed, moving around to stand behind Mai and Serenity who were still watching the scene in sheer wonder. He bent down to shake the spiky-haired boy gently, waiting for something to happen. When no response came, he leaned down slightly to poke him on the nose, leaving Mai and Serenity to gape at him.

"Joey! You don't do that to people!" Serenity scowled, reprimanding him for his lack of tact. The reincarnation of the First Soul let out a moan, involuntarily raising his hand to swat away the nuisance away from his face, probably mistaking Joey's finger for an annoying fly. Joey beamed happily when the young man opened his eyes to see the blue sky first, then to see a mess of blond and brown and feel somebody pulling him up in a bone-crushing hug.

"Yuugi!" He blinked and looked down to see Tea hugging him firmly, crying and sobbing into his shirt helplessly. When he looked up, he saw Ishizu, with equally tear stricken face and Shadi, observing him with a smile, something akin to relief and gratitude evident in his eyes.

He blushed slightly when Tea raised her head and kissed him on the cheek soundly, trying to wipe away the tears from her face. He turned his attention to the young man beside him who gave him a somewhat dark look when the girl kissed him.

He remembered there was someone else with them and glanced to the right, seeing Kaiba sitting on the sand, massaging his temples to get rid of the headache.

The CEO growled, feeling like he had just woken up after a hard night with a headache the size of one of his skyscrapers. He could still feel the pumping sensation in his head and in his veins from the surge of anger right before the light intensified and...then everything else was a blur. He looked up when a shadow stepped in front of him, spotting the auburn-haired girl who smiled at him softly, offering him a hand. He stared at her outstretched palm and then accepted it, letting her lift him up slowly. Sand rolled down his trench coat, creating a rustling sound when he stood up and touched his forehead with a sore expression.

"Are you all right?" Serenity asked quietly, eyeing the CEO worriedly. He just nodded absentmindedly and then glanced at the group of people to his left blankly. He caught Shadi's gaze and the man nodded at him, his expression calm and cool again, but his eyes were glistening with joy. Kaiba nodded back somewhat awkwardly and then looked around the desert, noticing numerous dunes and mounds of sand. He turned to look at Shadi again and took a cautious step forward, the amount of noise and excitement amidst the group quieting down when he approached them.

"What happened?" He asked him and managed to make everyone around him ask the same thing again, all of them redirecting curious looks at the Prophet. Shadi blinked and sweatdropped when they all gathered around him again, reminding him of children on the street market that would assemble around the local entertainers and stare hungrily at the basket full of snakes and exotic animals.

"Well..." He started, noticing the same anticipation and hunger in their eyes and then smiled helplessly, not being able to decline the looks they were giving him. "You see, the Gods have-"

"Aw, damn it!" Mai Valentine cried out and cut him off. They turned around to look at the blond journalist, gaping in wonder at the terrified look on her face, her hands gripping the collar of her shirt.

"What?" Yuugi and Tea asked simultaneously, others giving her odd looks. Mai raised her head and then sniffled, staring at them with wide, teary eyes.

"I lost my camera!"

÷

"Don't worry, we'll buy you a new one," Tea said reassuringly, patting Mai on the shoulder as they were making their way down the hospital halls. The blond girl scoffed, frowning and glaring at the hospital personnel, walking with crossed arms and her head lowered.

"But that was my favorite one! My lucky one! The one I recorded the busts with! The one-"

"Mai," Tea said in a firm, low voice, stopping her tirade and making her take inhale sharply. "We'll get you a new one."

Mai only huffed and turned left around the corner, following after Yuugi and Kaiba, Bakura walking beside Tea, with Ishizu, Marik, Joey, Serenity and Tristan tagging behind. They wanted Shadi to come with them, but the Prophet only smiled enigmatically after he explained them what happened to Amukh and his minions, and said how he had other things to do. The taxis arrived just then, making them all turn around to step inside but when Yuugi wanted to ask him about something and turned around, he was already gone, the street too crowded for him to see where he had gone.

They decided to go to the hospital where Solomon, Rashid and Mokuba were placed in after the incident with Marik and Bakura, and the cloaked minions of Amukh.

They stopped in front of the open doors, the small window open wide, dark curtains billowing slightly on the hot breeze. Yuugi, Mai and Tea raised their eyebrows at the scene; Joey and Tristan gaped quizzically while Ishizu, Marik, Bakura and Serenity exchanged awkward glances. Kaiba's brow twitched slightly when he saw Mokuba, perched over Solomon's bed, staring thoughtfully at an old chessboard. Solomon was also concentrated on the game, but Rashid, who was the quiet spectator, noticed them and his eyes lit up when he spotted his boss standing at the doorway.

"Ishizu!" He exclaimed and moved from his spot by the window, interrupting Mokuba and Solomon from their moment of silent glaring at a black rook and a white knight. Marik and Bakura stepped back quickly, Marik feeling sick all of a sudden. Mokuba's eyes lit up as well when he saw his brother, looking at him oddly and not wasting another moment, abandoned the chessboard and ran to Kaiba quickly who bent down slightly to hug him gently.

"Seto!" He cried out happily, grasping the material of his shirt tightly. Kaiba smiled just a little bit, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair.

"How are you feeling?" He asked him when Mokuba took his hand and pulled him inside. Yuugi, Tea and Mai were already beside Solomon who had difficulties following what they were saying because they all started talking at the same time. His eyes bulged out slightly when he managed to catch Yuugi saying '_And then Amukh wanted to take the busts and kill us all...' _and then listen to Tea ('_And then we all died and then the Gods brought us back to life...!'_) and in the end hear Mai say '_And then I lost my precious camera because of that stupid Priest!'_

He swallowed when they all leaned over him as if demanding from him to listen to everything they had to say, their voices raising steadily with every word. He looked at Ishizu who was giggling behind them with pleading eyes and the dark-haired woman approached them, interrupting them subtly.

"I believe we can discuss this when the time is right," she said and Yuugi blinked, together with Tea who was in the middle of describing the Jackals, her arms raised high in the air. Mai simply shrugged and sat down on the chair, absentmindedly reaching for the collar of her shirt where her camera used to be. Solomon thanked Ishizu silently and she nodded in reply, casting a look in Marik's direction who was still hesitant about entering the room. When Rashid's face softened and he beckoned him inside with a motion of his hand, he took a step forward, guilt written all over his face, his head lowered. Ishizu watched in awe how the man's eyes started filling with tears, Marik whispering something to him quietly. She almost started crying herself when the older man grabbed him by the shoulders with his uninjured hand and hugged him firmly.

Bakura was feeling slightly out of place, so he settled for leaning on the wall and glaring awkwardly outside with his arms crossed. He tried avoiding Rashid's gaze; after all, he was the one who stabbed the older man in the shoulder. Rashid either decided to forgive him as well or he ignored him, too occupied by Marik's apologies to notice the uncomfortable look on his face.

"Mr. Mutou was teaching me how to play chess," Ishizu heard Mokuba say and glanced at the younger boy who had a few bandages tied around his arm. Joey and Tristan approached her and she sighed heavily, feeling tired and exhausted all of a sudden. She sat down on the chair next to Mai who yawned widely, forgetting to cover her mouth.

"I think we all need some sleep," Serenity said quietly, noticing the dark circles under Ishizu's eyes. Joey agreed by nodding twice while Tristan couldn't help but yawn as well after seeing Mai opening her mouth for the second time.

"I can't believe that really happened...Yuugi, Kaiba and Bakura saving us all by...by merging with the Gods. Sounds like something out of a fairytale..." Ishizu murmured thoughtfully, staring at the white floor of the hospital room.

"Yeah, and I can't believe we were dead," Tristan muttered and made Joey look at him warningly.

"Don't even try to remind me."

"For how long are they keeping you here?" Yuugi asked his grandpa when he finally managed to convince him and Tea that he believed everything they said. Solomon shrugged and looked out the window.

"Probably for another day or two," he replied and then smiled when Mokuba came back and sat on his bed, moving a piece across the board. With a triumphant smile, he crossed his arms.

"Checkmate." He announced and left Solomon to gawk at him in wonder, Seto Kaiba watching him in silent amusement from the corner of his eye.

"You're a fast learner, my boy," Solomon piped and Mokuba beamed.

"I know. It runs in the family."

"Hey, do they have more spare beds around here?" Joey exclaimed, desperately wanting something to drop onto, close his eyes and sleep. Everyone turned and glanced around, spotting four vacant beds in the room and without thinking, dashed to claim their spots.

Solomon, Mokuba and Rashid stared in sheer astonishment at the group of people pushing and squeezing on the beds and at the amount of noise they were creating. After a while, growls, moans and rustling of the sheets quieted down, Tea and Mai sleeping on the bed closest to the window, Joey and Yuugi stretched on the bed next to them, Ishizu and Serenity lying on the one that was situated next to Solomon's while Tristan and Bakura glared at each other, lying on the bed closest to the doors.

Mokuba gladly offered his bed to his brother while Rashid let Marik use his.

A few sighs echoed across the room when Mokuba went to close the doors and tuned out the voices coming from the halls outside, creating a blissful silence in the room.

"Black or white?" Solomon whispered to him when he tiptoed his way to his bed and glanced at the chessboard, brows furrowed in consideration. Rashid leaned on the windowsill, observing Ishizu and her brother with a warm smile. Just when Mokuba was about to voice his opinion to the old archeologist, the doors of the room flied open with a bang and everyone jerked with a start, opening their eyes to glare at the one responsible for waking them up.

Solomon, Mokuba and Rashid deadpanned and sighed heavily, seeing the man barging into the room like that for the nth time in the last couple of days.

Others blinked in confusion at inspector Muhadda who had his mouth full, chewing on something only Serenity managed to recognize. When he frowned suspiciously at them, they all gulped and exchanged nervous glances, feeling like they all committed a horrible crime and he was there to make sure they arrived on time for their execution. When he finally swallowed, he regarded them all with a look that could've even put Kaiba's best glare to shame.

"Just _where _have you been all this time?"


	30. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! But I shall rule over the world someday! Muahahaha! Oops...my sugar level has increased again...

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**The Legend of the Three Souls**

by Alena S. Anigor

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**Epilogue **

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The scattered pieces and the chessboard on Solomon's bed were completely forgotten when inspector Muhadda barged into the room, almost slamming the door into the wall and making everyone jump with a start from their attempted slumber. When he barked at them, demanding to know where they had been while he was desperately trying to find a missing girl and solve the case he was assigned to, everyone flinched visibly, with the exception of Kaiba and Bakura who glowered at him, the gruffness in inspector's voice piercing their ears. 

Silence ensued in the room, in which Solomon and Mokuba could've sworn that they had actually heard a fly zooming by the window. Rashid looked at Marik, who looked at Ishizu in panic and soon, the chain of anxious glances continued until finally, Joey glanced nervously at Solomon who, when he realized that all eyes were on him, swallowed hard. A vein popped on inspector Muhadda's forehead, his mustaches twitching dangerously in annoyance.

"Well?" He barked again, making Serenity cower behind Ishizu, the black-haired owner of the museum at a loss for words. "Where have you been?"

"Uhh..." Chorused all over the room; Mokuba and Rashid gawking queerly at them. Joey scratched the back of his messy hair and glanced at Tristan awkwardly after another moment of uncomfortable silence.

"We, uh, we went sightseeing!" He exclaimed, letting out a nervous laugh after that. Tristan nodded, quickly stepping into the role of a guide.

"Yes! We went to see the pyramids and the sphinx and...the desert and the tombs, too, and..."

"And then we kind of lost track of time and..." Joey ventured, looking at everyone else for some support, glaring at Yuugi and urging him to say something. The spiky-haired boy recovered from the initial shock and nodded twice quickly, turning around to look oddly at Kaiba who raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Of course," he added wryly, earning a snicker from Mokuba in return. Tea and Mai agreed enthusiastically, faking a conversation about the mysteries of the tombs. Bakura, Serenity and Marik were left to stare at them all in confusion, not knowing what to say or how to act. Rashid and Mokuba had to turn around and look outside the window to mask the fit of snickers. Inspector Muhadda raised an eyebrow slowly, eyeing them all with a dry look. When they stopped murmuring after a while and silence filled the room again, the inspector coughed and then with a heavy frown retrieved a notebook and a pen from his pocket, the fez on his head tilting a bit to the left. He sighed inwardly, deciding to just let it go and buy their story. He already thought they were weird enough when he first met them at the museum.

"Right," he said and took a deep breath to prepare himself. "I am sorry to inform you that we still haven't found miss..." and there he stopped to squint at the name scribbled on the paper, "Gardner, but we are still working wholeheartedly on it, and-"

"What's he talking about?" Tea whispered and looked at Ishizu who pointed at Bakura slyly. The thief frowned at the gesture and then glowered at everyone else who threw an accusing look in his direction. Inspector Muhadda was still on a roll.

"-doing are best to catch the thieves who broke into the museum. Now, about miss Gardner-"

"But I'm here!" Tea objected; raising her hand in the air and making the inspector ogle at her first, then at the group of people around her. They were smiling at him brightly, making him want to check if he hadn't perhaps missed the address and ended up in a mental institution.

"But..." He spluttered, looking at her in bewilderment, "but you were kidnapped!"

Tea's eyes rolled to gaze at Bakura who suddenly wanted to hide under the bed or jump out the window. "No, no," she replied with a smile, "I...I got lost!"

Mai resisted the urge to snort and merely coughed instead. Yuugi and Solomon deadpanned discreetly. Inspector Muhadda's eyes bulged out even further.

"Lost?" He echoed in an almost shrill voice. Tea sweatdropped and nodded awkwardly.

"Yes...it was...night and I got lost," she replied, pointing at Bakura who stiffened when he saw what she was doing. "Luckily, this young man found me and...err, brought me back." She added and Bakura's heart skipped a beat when she smiled at him, something warm sweeping over him. He had a sudden impression that the temperature started to rise in the room. Inspector Muhadda scanned each and every one of them, now wanting nothing more than to run out of the room and to never have to deal with foreigners again. He had obviously chosen the wrong profession.

"Uh-huh..." He managed to choke out and scratch his head with the tip of his pen, glaring at the paper dejectedly.

"Then that leaves us only with the burglary problem-"

"Actually," Ishizu cut in briskly, noticing the frightened look on Marik's face. Bakura stiffened again, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead now. Inspector Muhadda suppressed the urge to stomp angrily.

"Yes?" He replied through gritted teeth, clutching the pen and the notebook in his hands, the paper starting to bent slowly under the pressure of his chubby fingers. Ishizu smiled sweetly, hopping off the bed and taking the inspector by the hand, ushering him out of the room.

"Let's discuss this outside," she said in a sugary voice and waved at the rest of them, closing the doors behind her with a click and shutting out inspector Muhadda's offended spluttering. A collective sigh of relief was heard in the room as they all plopped down onto the beds flaccidly.

"That was close," Joey mumbled, staring at the ceiling, his face slightly pale. Marik and Bakura exchanged relieved glances, Bakura heading off to Tea who smiled at him and hugged him tightly, making the thief blush profusely. He definitely wasn't used to that kind of display of emotions in public. But when she kissed him lightly on the lips, the world around him was completely forgotten and he hugged her back, surprising the girl who shivered and blushed slightly when he deepened the kiss, others gaping at them in wonder.

"Yeah, but...who would believe us, anyway?" Mai retorted, deciding to leave the two alone. She got up and went to sit next to Tristan, who nodded in agreement, Joey and Serenity doing the same and reverting their eyes from them.

"I can't believe it's finally over," Yuugi mumbled thoughtfully, staring out the window. Joey sprawled across the bed and closed his eyes, the silence taking over the room once again.

"I just want to get some sleep," He muttered and exhaled loudly, letting the weariness get the best of him. Others stared ahead, deep in thoughts, as well, thinking about the ancient Priest, the cloaked ogres and the ancient Gods for a while longer, still not quite convinced if that all hadn't been, perhaps, just a dream...

÷

They had to stay in the hospital for one more day, the doctor who treated Solomon, Rashid and Mokuba ordering them to stay in their beds after the nurses informed him of all the injuries, cuts and bruises they had; Yuugi, Bakura and Kaiba especially.

When he asked them what in the Allah's name happened to them, they just exchanged knowing glances and replied in unison:

"_It's a long story_."

At least they had a day to rest fully, although Ishizu went to the museum together with Rashid to check up on it.

Solomon went back to the hotel the next day to go check if the rooms, the documents and their personal belongings were still there and in one piece. Although he had suffered a minor head injury, he managed to trot up the carpeted stairs, the receptionists gaping after him, wondering where he had been for so long.

Yuugi, Tea and Mai went to the town center in search of a new camera. It took Mai a long time to finally choose one, Yuugi and Tea vegetating by the shop window with sore facial expressions. They jerked and blinked when Mai took a shot of their grim faces, testing her camera and catching them off guard.

"I'll be keeping this in my living room!" She exclaimed happily, making Tea and Yuugi moan dismally.

They met with the others in the hotel lobby again, spotting Joey, Serenity and Tristan sitting behind one of the tables. They saw Ishizu, talking to Solomon animatedly about something not too far from the reception. Ishizu's eyes were glistening slightly with something akin to sadness and regret and Yuugi already thought he knew why – the busts were gone and she was left without the only proof that they had actually existed. The convention was held and everyone could see the bust of the Second Soul, though, but the questions and doubts would always remain...

"I thought he'd come, as well," Tea murmured thoughtfully, referring to Bakura. Yuugi and Mai glanced at her then at Joey and Tristan who greeted them happily when they approached the table; other guests chatting pleasantly around them.

"Hey, Yuugi!" Joey exclaimed happily, "Tea, Mai!"

They sat down, Mai pulling an extra chair to sit on. Solomon and Ishizu joined them quickly after that, but they had to stand since other chairs had already been taken by other guests. Ishizu, despite feeling sad and crestfallen, smiled at them and offered to take them to the museum to see the new shipments that had arrived that day.

Tea and Yuugi beamed at the news, others getting up and accepting her offer gladly.

The Museum of ancient artifacts was open again, tourists and other visitors roaming around and observing the relics with great interest. When they entered the main, conference hall, Tea's eyes widened when she spotted Bakura, Marik and Rashid, cleaning and dusting the large room, Marik laughing loudly at the sullen expression on Bakura's face. Ishizu approached them and smiled, explaining the scene.

"Rashid gave them an ultimatum," she said, a note of amusement in her voice, "either they would pay off their debt by working for us, or he would report them to inspector Muhadda."

Solomon chuckled and shook his head in mild amusement. Yuugi and Mai just stared at them with blank expressions, although Tea frowned upon that a bit.

"Hey, there you are!" A loud, cheerful voice came from the corridor behind them and they turned around to see Mokuba, peeping through the curtain. He approached them happily, blinking at the three in the middle of the hall, Rashid giving out orders.

"Is your brother also here?" Yuugi asked the younger Kaiba sibling and he nodded, the bandages around his arm removed.

"He's outside, waiting for us," Mokuba replied on which they all exchanged puzzled glances. Mai and Joey leaned forward, surprise evident in Joey's eyes and mischief glistening in Mai's.

"Did you say 'us'?" They repeated and Mokuba nodded, grinning at them somewhat impishly.

"Yeah," he chimed, putting his hands behind his head. "I kind of managed to talk him into taking you all to dinner."

Joey and Solomon's eyes sparkled at the mention of food and they beamed at each other merrily, making everyone else sweatdrop.

"Well, let us go then!" Solomon declared happily and marched off towards the curtain to disappear behind it, leaving Yuugi to gape after him.

"Oh, not again...Grandpa, wait!"

Seto Kaiba was waiting impatiently outside the museum, glaring at the midday sun and frowning at the amount of people that were constantly pushing and shoving him around. Silently, he was reprimanding himself for giving in to Mokuba's wish, knowing very well that he could afford to pay a dinner for all of them, but wasn't really in the mood to do that. He simply wasn't a sociable person.

When he spotted Solomon, tagging everyone else behind him, his jaw almost dropped. Mentally, he counted them all and then resisted the urge to slap himself when he saw that he would have to take eleven people out to dinner, with the exception of Rashid, who decided to stay and watch over the museum.

Mokuba smiled uneasily when he saw the murderous gleam in his brother's eyes and simply shrugged, making the CEO's brows twitch.

They started walking down the street, Mai seizing the opportunity and taking a picture of the CEO, making him blink at the sudden flash of light directed at his face and then glowered at her. When she wanted to ask him for an interview, she barely managed to open her mouth when a loud, firm 'No!' silenced her immediately. She glared back at him, leaving him to walk down the street with Mokuba and joining Joey and Serenity instead. The blond Egyptian smiled at her and she smiled in return, blushing slightly when he offered her his hand.

Solomon and Tristan were listening to Ishizu intently, laughing all the way at the story she had to come up with to satisfy inspector Muhadda's curiosity and survive his interrogation.

"I thought his mustaches would fall off," she chuckled, laughing herself at the memory.

Bakura and Tea were walking behind them slowly, the thief (now, one of the museum's workers) holding her by the waist protectively, both of them listening to Marik who was in the middle of explaining what was happening to him while he was under Amukh's control.

"I think he got what he deserved," Tea commented, earning a scoff from Bakura in return. Marik looked at the sky, wondering briefly what happened to the ancient Priest. He shrugged mentally when Tea said how she was glad it was finally all over and smiled at his sister, glad he was forgiven and given another chance.

Yuugi was the last one in row, walking silently behind them, feeling strangely sad and gloomy. He peeked at Kaiba through the small loop between Joey and Mai, and then at Bakura who was walking calmly in front of him, his hair billowing slightly behind him. And for some reason, felt sad that it was all over.

He knew that he and his friends were in serious danger; that they could've died so many times by Amukh's minions or by the Priest himself. But, he had to admit that no matter how dangerous it was, he was a part of a great adventure, something he had been dreaming of ever since he was little.

And now...now he had to leave Egypt, leave those people behind and wonder if he would ever meet them again. He stopped and sighed heavily, glancing up to look at the blue sky.

"You are sad," someone spoke behind him and he whirled briskly to stare at Shadi. The Prophet was standing calmly in front of him, a small smile playing on his lips. Yuugi recovered quickly, although he was still gawking at him.

"Shadi? Where have you been?"

The man with a turban smiled mysteriously again and looked at the retreating group of people behind him. "Had some things to take care of." Yuugi frowned in confusion.

"What kind of things?"

Shadi glanced at the sky and then with a smile, tilted his head a bit to point at his friends. "You better go now."

Yuugi wasn't satisfied with the reply, but knew the Prophet well enough already to know when he wouldn't get an answer from him. He half-turned around, spotting Marik scratching the back of his head uneasily and then turned to look at him again, his eyes inviting.

"Want to join us? Kaiba's paying!"

Shadi shook his head calmly, blue eyes unwavering but warm. "I'm afraid I can not," he replied, Yuugi's face saddening slowly.

"Why not?" He asked, feeling dishearten and disappointed again. Shadi put a hand on his shoulder, a small grin appearing on his face.

"My work here is done," he answered simply, making Yuugi frown in confusion again. "I must leave now. I just wanted to say goodbye and thank you for everything."

Yuugi watched in wonder how the Prophet bowed respectfully in front of him and then turned to leave. He reached with his hand quickly, not quite understanding what he meant by that.

"Wait! Where are you going? Are we going to see you again?"

Shadi stopped, and turned slightly to smile enigmatically at him, Yuugi blinking at the sudden happiness, shining on his face clearly.

"Perhaps we shall," he replied and shrugged, turning around and raising his hand in the air to wave at him. "In another lifetime."

Yuugi was left to stare oddly at his retreating form, and then blinked when he started to disappear slowly, his famous robes and turban fading away under bright rays of sunshine.

"Hey, Yuugi!" Tea yelled from behind, waving at him and making him turn around sharply to see them standing in the middle of the street, waiting for him.

He waved back at them and with a smile, turned around, but not before glancing at the bustling street and then at the blue sky above for the last time, feeling happy and content again.

"See you," he whispered, "in the next life."

_**THE END**_

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**_Author's Notes:_**

÷_takes a deep breath÷_

I DID IT! WOOHOO! It's finally finished!

Wow...I still can't believe I've spent almost two years writing this...And I still remember how discouraged I felt when I received only one review for the prologue...

Anyway, I'm glad I managed to finish this in the end. You have no idea how many hours I used to spend in front of this computer, writing and then deleting and then writing new chapters all over again because I didn't like the way they turned out...but I must admit that I also feel kind of sad...I've really grown to like the characters and the roles I gave them. _Amukh _and _Inspector Muhadda_ were the first original characters I've ever created and I'm proud of them. As for Rashid, I wanted to come up with an Egyptian name for Odion, but I didn't know what his Egyptian name was, so I came up with the name _Rashid,_ only to stumble across a web page a few months later and finding out his name was _Rishid_. I almost fell off the chair when I saw how close I was...

And last, but not least – I'd like to thank you all for being great reviewers and supporting me all this time. So, I'd like to thank:

_Andrea_ (thank you for being a great friend and listener, and for putting up with my rants and diligently pointing out my mistakes), _DojomistressAmbyChan_ (who is only five days older than I am and whom I often tortured with evil cliffhangers...sorry! And yes - we're both Leos! Rowrrr!), _YumeTakato_ (for being a faithful reviewer of a few words and for making me think hard about the 'busts in action' scenes), _Mercy Sky_ (for being the first reviewer! Thank you!), _Insanity Rose Sparkles _(for being so enthusiastic in her reviews and making me laugh), _PrEtTyStUpIdGiRl_ (Did I write that right? Anyway, thanks for loving this story), _Mystic Dragon, Diana Artemis Silvermoon_, _Keoi, TeaTwin, sadistic introvert, mariks1andonly, Melimea, JenniChan, Scarlet-Moonlight, Crystal Koneko, A lilmatchgirl, Liviania, Deena70, Echo – Angel of Chaos, winky golden _(thanks for pointing out those mistakes!), _Deon.good bye everyone_ (odd penname you have...), _XxxStrawberry-WitchxxX, angelus-2040, Malik Fan 03, Curingangelx3, Ice Ember, kaz, LadySilverDragon2..._

And everyone else who will someday read this story and review!

I love you guys!

**-Alena**


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